Red River Rivalry Comes to Norman this Weekend

April 27-29 | Norman, Okla. | Marita Hynes Field

Texas

^3/3Oklahoma

KEBC 1560

ESPN2

NORMAN — No. 3/3 Oklahoma (41-3, 12-0 Big 12) returns to conference play this weekend as it hosts Texas (28-18, 10-2 Big 12) for a three-game series at Marita Hynes Field.

The Sooners are looking to extend their best conference start in program history. OU has opened Big 12 play 12-0 with series sweeps against Texas Tech, Baylor, Iowa State and Kansas.

OU and Texas are scheduled to face off Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT and Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. Friday's game will be streamed on SoonerSports TV while Saturday and Sunday's contests will be broadcast on ESPN. Additionally, fans can tune in on the air via KEBC 1560 AM or online through the Franchise 2.

Friday will be Lea Wodach day with posters and OU Softball oven mitts for the first 250 fans, and Saturday will be Nicole Pendley day with posters for the first 250 fans and OU Softball headbands for the first 300. Tickets are sold out.

Program-Best Start

With a 41-3 record this season, the 2018 Sooners have matched the 2013 squad for the best 44-game start in program history. The 2013 team was 57-4 on the year as it claimed the program's second national championship.

The Sooners' win at Tulsa on April 17 put OU at 39-2 on the season, marking the best two-loss start in program history. Additionally, OU's victory at Oregon State on April 20 was its 40th win, matching the 2013 team as the fastest to reach 40 wins in program history.

OU has opened Big 12 play 12-0 with four consecutive series sweeps, marking the Sooners' best conference start in program history. The previous best was 10-0 by the 2017 team.

Home Sweet 'Homa

The Sooners are undefeated at home this year with 20 wins at Marita Hynes Field. OU has won 24 consecutive home games, with its last loss coming in the NCAA Regionals against North Dakota State, 3-2 in nine innings. The streak ranks fifth-best in program history.

So far this season, OU has outscored opponents 172-26 in road contests with nine shutouts and 11 run-rules. The Sooners have slashed (AVG/OBP/SLG) .389/.492/.628 over 20 home games, recording 57 extra-base hits with 26 doubles, three triples and 28 home runs.

The OU pitching staff has allowed 23 earned runs in home games this season, combining for an ERA of 1.35 over 119.0 innings. It is currently holding opponents to a .175 batting average.

Three Sooners Selected in NPF Draft

Oklahoma softball seniors Paige Lowary, Paige Parker and Nicole Pendley were all selected in the first two rounds of the National Pro Fastpitch League Draft on Monday night.

The Chicago Bandits selected Lowary with the No. 1 overall pick, making her the second player in Oklahoma history to be taken first in the draft. Lauren Chamberlain was also selected first in 2015.

Parker and Pendley were both drafted by the USSSA Pride. Parker joined Lowary in the first round, coming in as the No. 6 pick, while Pendley was selected No. 12 overall.

Three selections in the draft matches the second-most in one year in OU program history, also achieved in 2008. In 2013, four Sooners were drafted.

The 2018 draftees join Sooner alumni Lauren Chamberlain, Shelby Pendley, Keilani Ricketts, Jessica Shults, Michelle Gascoigne, Brianna Turang, Amber Flores, Samantha Ricketts, D.J. Mathis, Savannah Long, Susan Ogden, Lauren Eckermann, Norrelle Dickson, Heather Scaglione, Kami Keiter, Christina Enea, Erin Evans, Christy Ring, Leah Gulla and Kristin Vesely who were all drafted by the league.

The NPF College Draft featured three rounds of six selections and one round of five picks for a total of 23 overall draftees in the 2018 rookie class.

Drafting an athlete gives an NPF affiliate team rights to that athlete for two full seasons.Due to NCAA regulations, an active college senior-athlete may not sign with her respective franchise until their 2018 college season is over.

Three Sooners Make Top 25 POY

A nation-leading three members of the OU softball team were named as top 25 finalists for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in senior pitcher Paige Parker, junior infielder Sydney Romero and freshman utility player Jocelyn Alo.

The top 10 finalists will be announced May 9 and the top three announced May 23. The 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 29.

Oklahoma alumna Keilani Ricketts was a two-time recipient of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, considered the most prestigious honor in Division I softball.

Last Time Out

Oklahoma opened its final swing of regular-season non-conference games last week, traveling to Tulsa, Oregon and Oregon State and finishing the week 3-1.

On Tuesday, Mariah Lopez and Paige Lowary combined on a three-hit shutout as Jocelyn Alo's solo home run proved the difference maker in OU's 1-0 road win over Tulsa.

The Sooners suffered their third loss of the season on Thursday, dropping a 5-0 contest at No. 4/4 Oregon. Alo registered the Sooners' only hit of the game in the fourth inning.

Oklahoma bounced back with a pair of wins at RV/RV Oregon State on Friday and Saturday. In game one, the Sooners claimed a 4-0 victory. Kelsey Arnold opened scoring with an RBI-single up the middle that plated Nicole Pendley. Alo tallied her 20th homer of the season, a two-run shot to right, and Caleigh Clifton scored on an error to clinch the win.

OU claimed the series with an 8-0 run-rule win in six innings on Saturday. Fale Aviu and Pendley led the Sooners at the plate, both finishing the day 2-for-3 while Aviu drove in three runs. Clifton also had a multi-RBI performance, bringing in two runs with a 1-for-3 game and scoring two. Freshman Alexa Schultz recorded her first collegiate hit in dramatic fashion, drilling a solo home run to direct center.

The Sooners' April 25 game at North Texas was canceled due to inclement weather in Denton, Texas.

Facing Texas

In the all-time series, Oklahoma leads Texas with a 38-24 record, including a 16-8 mark in Norman. The Sooners have won their last 11 games against the Longhorns with their last defeat coming on April 18, 2014, in Norman. In 2017, the two teams met four times via a three-game series and a Big 12 Championship game.

OU has won the last six conference series with the Longhorns (2012-2017), sweeping Texas in three-game sets in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2011, OU and Texas split a two-game series, and the series in 2010 was canceled. Texas last won a series against the Sooners in 2009 when UT won both games in Austin.

Last year, Shay Knighten led the Sooners to victory in game one. Trailing 1-2, the Sooners tied the game as Knighten drilled a solo homer in the fourth. She then drove in the game-winning run with a single in the sixth.

In game two, the Sooners claimed a 3-1 victory to clinch the series. Fale Aviu opened scoring in the first inning with an RBI double that plated Caleigh Clifton. Knighten added a pair of insurance runs with a two-RBI double.

The Sooners sealed the sweep with a 6-0 win in game three. Knighten kept up her stellar weekend by going 2-2 with a run scored, RBI and two walks. The Sooners scored five runs in the top of the second and added a sixth in the third. Paige Lowary and Paige Parker combined in the circle on the shutout.

Knighten finished the series 5-8 (.625) with two runs scored, a double, a home run, three walks and five runs batted in. She also posted a .727 on-base percentage and 1.125 slugging percentage

Up Next

The Sooners conclude conference play next week with a three-game series against Oklahoma State. The Sooners and the Cowgirls will face off Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Norman, Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Stillwater and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Norman.