Completed Event: Softball versus Oklahoma Christian on October 15, 2025
Final
Softball
vs Oklahoma Christian
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Friday, March 7
6:30 p.m.
University of Oklahoma
vs
South Carolina
Photo by: Morgan Givens/University of Oklahoma
Softball Opens SEC Play with Top 10 Matchup
March 06, 2025 | Softball
No. 1 Sooners Host No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks
NORMAN — The No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners (19-0) and No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks (20-0) open Southeastern Conference (SEC) Play Friday, March 7 through Sunday, March 9 at Love's Field in OU's first league games as a member of the SEC.
BREAKDOWN OF GAMES
HOW TO FOLLOW
The first two games of the series will be streamed on SECN+, while the series finale will be broadcasted on SEC Network. Radio coverage for each game will be provided on 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2 and 107.7 FM The Franchise.
AGAINST THE GAMECOCKS
Oklahoma is 4-5 all-time against South Carolina and 4-2 against the Gamecocks under head coach Patty Gasso. The Sooners are meeting SC for the first time since March 11, 2018 when the Gamecocks visited Norman. OU put up a five-run third inning in the 5-1 win against the Gamecocks. Mariah Lopez threw 5.1 innings in the win and current assistant coach Falepolima Steele (nee Aviu) went 2-for-3 with a run. Nicole Pendley also homered for the Sooners.
ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina is 20-0 and just tied the best start to a season in program history. The Gamecocks jumped to No. 10 in the ESPN/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll. South Carolina head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard is in her first year leading the Gamecocks after five seasons at Charlotte. The Gamecocks are pacing the nation in doubles and doubles per game.
19-0
Oklahoma is 19-0 for the third time in four seasons, with the lone year without a perfect record through 19 games being last season's 18-1 mark. OU has gone no worse than 15-4 in the first 19 games of the season in each of the last eight years, not including the shortened 2020 COVID season. The Sooners' 39 home runs are six more than OU's mark at this point last year, while their 173 runs is 18 greater than it was at the 19-game mark in 2024.
Oklahoma's pitching staff has combined to post a 1.26 ERA, just ahead of its 1.39 team ERA after 19 games a year ago. Oklahoma is outscoring its opponents, 173-25, winning 12 of its 19 games in run-rule fashion. The Sooners are in the midst of a six-game streak of winning in six innings in or less.
STANDING UNDER OUR UMBRELLA
Sophomore Ella Parker is hitting .574, the second-best batting average in the nation behind only Sophia Knight at Boise State (.575). Parker's batting average through 19 games is the best for an Oklahoma hitter over the season's first 19 games since at least 2017. Parker has already been named SEC Player of the Week twice this season, becoming the first Sooner to earn the honor since OU joined the league ahead of the 2025 season. Parker's 12 doubles ranks second in the nation and her .653 on-base percentage is the third best mark in Division I softball. Last Friday against Marshall she surpassed 100-career hits, reaching the feat in only 82 career games.
STELLER ISABELLA
Isabella Smith went 18.2 consecutive innings without allowing a run to start her OU career. She allowed her first earned run in the opening inning of a 9-1 win against Marshall Feb. 28. Smith leads the country in earned run average with a 0.27 ERA in 25.2 innings of work. She's fanned 26 and only allowed four walks, posting a 5-0 record.
WE GOT ICE
Oklahoma is third in the country in hit by pitches and second in the SEC, coming in with 22. The Sooners have four with at least three, while Abigale Dayton paces the team with six (17th in the NCAA).
BIG BARRELS
Oklahoma is coming off a 15 home run weekend last weekend. Eight different players hit at least one home run, with Kasidi Pickering and Gabbie Garcia posting three apiece to lead the way. Oklahoma is averaging just over two home runs per game this season. As a team, 21.7 percent of OU's fly balls have resulted in a home run.
Pickering paces the squad in that category, with 30.4 percent of her fly balls ending up over the wall. Garcia is second at 26.7. The Sooners have hit at least one home run in 18 of 19 games this season, with the lone game without a home run coming in the 2-0 win against Long Beach State Feb. 9.
STAR OF THE WEEK
Kasidi Pickering was named one of Softball America's Stars of the Week last week. The outfielder homered four times, driving in 12. Pickering was tabbed to the SEC Preseason All-American squad and was also a Softball America Preseason All-American.
PATIENT AT THE PLATE
Of the Sooners' 173 runs, Oklahoma has scored 53 runs via a walk or hit-by-pitch. Oklahoma has scored at least one run per game via a walk or hit by pitch in all 19 games. The Sooners are coming off consecutive games scoring six runs off a walk or hit-by-pitch. The Sooners lead the SEC in walks (109), which is good for second in the nation to only Houston (130).
FULLY STAFFED
The OU pitching staff has been balanced from the jump this season. All five Sooners that have logged innings have turned in a sub-2.00 ERA, with at least a 2.33-to-1.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio. All five arms have won at least one game, with four having won four or more. Sam Landry's strikeout-to-walk ratio sits at an amazing 13.5-to-1.00.
AGAINST THE SEC
Oklahoma is well acquainted with playing Southeastern Conference opposition. The Sooners have played 150 games against SEC foes entering the weekend. OU is 113-37 all-time in those games. The Sooners have a .500 or winning record against Arkansas (25-2), Auburn (8-2), Florida (8-2), Georgia (4-4), Kentucky (10-1), LSU (11-8), Mississippi State (8-0), Missouri (4-0), Ole Miss (6-0), Tennessee (7-5) and Texas A&M (10-0).
CONFERENCE OPENERS
Oklahoma is 23-5 in conference home openers during its membership with the Big 12. The Sooners are also 23-5 in Big 12 openers overall. The last time OU opened league play against a ranked team was March 22, 2019 against No. 14/12 Texas Tech. South Carolina is the highest ranked foe OU has opened league play with since hosting No. 3 Missouri March 27, 2010.
500K
Righty Sam Landry reached 500-career strikeouts during the 8-5 win against Bowling Green State. The righty joined OU with 461 punchouts and has already added 54 this season. She fanned 11 against San Diego State and 10 against Wichita State.
SOLID WITH THE GLOVE
Oklahoma ranks fourth in the country in fielding percentage with a .987 mark. The Sooners have only made six errors across 19 games and haven't committed more than one error in any game this season. Oklahoma didn't commit an error last weekend.
LOVE'S FIELD, THE PLACE TO BE
The Sooners played in front of 12,347 fans over the three-day home-opening weekend tourney at Love's Field. Oklahoma's 4,261 attendance in the home opener against Tulsa marked the highest attendance for an OU home game in the month of February.
PERFECTION
Oklahoma has already posted two perfect games this year. Isabella Smith fanned eight and didn't allow a baserunner against Cal Baptist Feb. 7, while Sam Landry spun another five-inning perfect game Feb. 16 against Baylor in an 8-0 win. Landry turned in just the second perfect game against a ranked team in program history.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.
BREAKDOWN OF GAMES
- Friday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. vs. No. 10 South Carolina
- Saturday, March 8 at 2 p.m. vs. No. 10 South Carolina
- Sunday, March 9 at 1:30 p.m. vs. No. 10 South Carolina
HOW TO FOLLOW
The first two games of the series will be streamed on SECN+, while the series finale will be broadcasted on SEC Network. Radio coverage for each game will be provided on 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2 and 107.7 FM The Franchise.
AGAINST THE GAMECOCKS
Oklahoma is 4-5 all-time against South Carolina and 4-2 against the Gamecocks under head coach Patty Gasso. The Sooners are meeting SC for the first time since March 11, 2018 when the Gamecocks visited Norman. OU put up a five-run third inning in the 5-1 win against the Gamecocks. Mariah Lopez threw 5.1 innings in the win and current assistant coach Falepolima Steele (nee Aviu) went 2-for-3 with a run. Nicole Pendley also homered for the Sooners.
ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina is 20-0 and just tied the best start to a season in program history. The Gamecocks jumped to No. 10 in the ESPN/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll. South Carolina head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard is in her first year leading the Gamecocks after five seasons at Charlotte. The Gamecocks are pacing the nation in doubles and doubles per game.
19-0
Oklahoma is 19-0 for the third time in four seasons, with the lone year without a perfect record through 19 games being last season's 18-1 mark. OU has gone no worse than 15-4 in the first 19 games of the season in each of the last eight years, not including the shortened 2020 COVID season. The Sooners' 39 home runs are six more than OU's mark at this point last year, while their 173 runs is 18 greater than it was at the 19-game mark in 2024.
Oklahoma's pitching staff has combined to post a 1.26 ERA, just ahead of its 1.39 team ERA after 19 games a year ago. Oklahoma is outscoring its opponents, 173-25, winning 12 of its 19 games in run-rule fashion. The Sooners are in the midst of a six-game streak of winning in six innings in or less.
STANDING UNDER OUR UMBRELLA
Sophomore Ella Parker is hitting .574, the second-best batting average in the nation behind only Sophia Knight at Boise State (.575). Parker's batting average through 19 games is the best for an Oklahoma hitter over the season's first 19 games since at least 2017. Parker has already been named SEC Player of the Week twice this season, becoming the first Sooner to earn the honor since OU joined the league ahead of the 2025 season. Parker's 12 doubles ranks second in the nation and her .653 on-base percentage is the third best mark in Division I softball. Last Friday against Marshall she surpassed 100-career hits, reaching the feat in only 82 career games.
STELLER ISABELLA
Isabella Smith went 18.2 consecutive innings without allowing a run to start her OU career. She allowed her first earned run in the opening inning of a 9-1 win against Marshall Feb. 28. Smith leads the country in earned run average with a 0.27 ERA in 25.2 innings of work. She's fanned 26 and only allowed four walks, posting a 5-0 record.
WE GOT ICE
Oklahoma is third in the country in hit by pitches and second in the SEC, coming in with 22. The Sooners have four with at least three, while Abigale Dayton paces the team with six (17th in the NCAA).
BIG BARRELS
Oklahoma is coming off a 15 home run weekend last weekend. Eight different players hit at least one home run, with Kasidi Pickering and Gabbie Garcia posting three apiece to lead the way. Oklahoma is averaging just over two home runs per game this season. As a team, 21.7 percent of OU's fly balls have resulted in a home run.
Pickering paces the squad in that category, with 30.4 percent of her fly balls ending up over the wall. Garcia is second at 26.7. The Sooners have hit at least one home run in 18 of 19 games this season, with the lone game without a home run coming in the 2-0 win against Long Beach State Feb. 9.
STAR OF THE WEEK
Kasidi Pickering was named one of Softball America's Stars of the Week last week. The outfielder homered four times, driving in 12. Pickering was tabbed to the SEC Preseason All-American squad and was also a Softball America Preseason All-American.
PATIENT AT THE PLATE
Of the Sooners' 173 runs, Oklahoma has scored 53 runs via a walk or hit-by-pitch. Oklahoma has scored at least one run per game via a walk or hit by pitch in all 19 games. The Sooners are coming off consecutive games scoring six runs off a walk or hit-by-pitch. The Sooners lead the SEC in walks (109), which is good for second in the nation to only Houston (130).
FULLY STAFFED
The OU pitching staff has been balanced from the jump this season. All five Sooners that have logged innings have turned in a sub-2.00 ERA, with at least a 2.33-to-1.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio. All five arms have won at least one game, with four having won four or more. Sam Landry's strikeout-to-walk ratio sits at an amazing 13.5-to-1.00.
AGAINST THE SEC
Oklahoma is well acquainted with playing Southeastern Conference opposition. The Sooners have played 150 games against SEC foes entering the weekend. OU is 113-37 all-time in those games. The Sooners have a .500 or winning record against Arkansas (25-2), Auburn (8-2), Florida (8-2), Georgia (4-4), Kentucky (10-1), LSU (11-8), Mississippi State (8-0), Missouri (4-0), Ole Miss (6-0), Tennessee (7-5) and Texas A&M (10-0).
CONFERENCE OPENERS
Oklahoma is 23-5 in conference home openers during its membership with the Big 12. The Sooners are also 23-5 in Big 12 openers overall. The last time OU opened league play against a ranked team was March 22, 2019 against No. 14/12 Texas Tech. South Carolina is the highest ranked foe OU has opened league play with since hosting No. 3 Missouri March 27, 2010.
500K
Righty Sam Landry reached 500-career strikeouts during the 8-5 win against Bowling Green State. The righty joined OU with 461 punchouts and has already added 54 this season. She fanned 11 against San Diego State and 10 against Wichita State.
SOLID WITH THE GLOVE
Oklahoma ranks fourth in the country in fielding percentage with a .987 mark. The Sooners have only made six errors across 19 games and haven't committed more than one error in any game this season. Oklahoma didn't commit an error last weekend.
LOVE'S FIELD, THE PLACE TO BE
The Sooners played in front of 12,347 fans over the three-day home-opening weekend tourney at Love's Field. Oklahoma's 4,261 attendance in the home opener against Tulsa marked the highest attendance for an OU home game in the month of February.
PERFECTION
Oklahoma has already posted two perfect games this year. Isabella Smith fanned eight and didn't allow a baserunner against Cal Baptist Feb. 7, while Sam Landry spun another five-inning perfect game Feb. 16 against Baylor in an 8-0 win. Landry turned in just the second perfect game against a ranked team in program history.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballSB Highlights: OU 22, East Texas A&M 0
Tuesday, October 07
Gasso, Landry, Parker, Barker, Dayton, Sanders Postgame vs Texas Tech
Monday, June 02
SB WCWS Highlights: OU 4, Oregon 1
Sunday, June 01
Gasso, Sanders, Emerling, Landry Postgame vs Oregon
Sunday, June 01
