Perfect on diamond, not everywhere else
Softball not winning easily; Sooner women figure it out; Sooner men don't
Just as Oklahoma softball fans should not get too excited by an 18-6 victory over New Mexico State and a 34-0 victory over UTEP, and perhaps should be concerned by the first of them, Sooner baseball fans should not get too excited by three straight victories over Coppin State even if the margins were 21, 24 and 11 runs.
But if you were excited by the first weekend of the season, in which OU stopped Texas Tech 10-3, Oklahoma State 10-1 and No. 10 TCU 12-2, just as a matter of context you may remain excited by what the Sooners did Friday, Saturday and Sunday against the Eagles.
For one, OU (7-0) has played oodles of non-conference home-field three-game weekend series against outmatched opponents over the past, say, 30 years, and I’m pretty sure this was the first in which they outscored the opponent 57-1.
No, it couldn’t have been terrific pitching Coppin State offered — the Eagles allowed 57 runs after all — but there are still 308 Division I baseball teams and Coppin State’s RPI is 172, which isn’t horrendous.
But whatever the state of Eagles’ pitching, just maybe the bats added last offseason have delivered a Sooner lineup unlike any we can recall.
Because OU hasn’t only blown out Coppin State but Tech, OSU and TCU, too. And not only because it’s scoring a ton of runs, but because it’s hardly allowing any either.
Friday night guy Cam Johnson, after two starts, is carrying a 1.64 earned run average, allowing six hits over 11 innings, striking out 18 and walking three.
Saturday guy L.J. Mercurious, after two starts, is carrying a 0.87 ERA, allowing four hits over 10 1/3 innings, striking out 19 and walking five.
Sunday guy Cord Rager, after two starts, is carrying a 0.90 ERA, allowing five hits over 10 innings, striking out 15 and walking four.
Even barring injury, it’s hard to believe the original weekend trio coach Skip Johnson rolled out will last the whole season. Just as a matter of history, it’s so unlikely. Nonetheless, all three have faced at least one challenging start and dominated, so maybe?
Perhaps Omaha’s waiting.
The polls have taken notice.
Out Monday, OU is ranked No. 10 by Baseball America, No. 13 by D1Baseball and the NCBWA writers’ poll and No. 14 by the USA Today coaches’ poll.
Coming up Tuesday and Wednesday at the ballpark formerly known as L. Dale Mitchell and now called Kimrey Family Stadium, unbeaten yet unranked Arizona State (7-0) visits for a pair of 4 p.m. starts.
To date, the Sooners’ closest game is a 10-6 victory over New Mexico State in which Skip Johnson wasn’t looking to find a mid-week starter so much as test all available arms, sending eight different pitchers to the mound.
Because there are two games against the Sun Devils, Johnson might be looking to stretch his starters a bit, offering new clues toward who’s earned his trust in the early part of the season.
As for the other teams …
Sooner women looking good again
Though No. 21 Tennessee came out firing at Lloyd Noble Center on Sunday, the Oklahoma women turned in one of their best conference games to date, withstanding the Lady Vol barrage before triumphing 100-93.
Raegan Beers remained free from foul trouble — and smiled more than she has in several games — on the way to finishing with 18 points and 18 rebounds in 29 minutes, while Aaliyah Chavez finished with 21 and four assists in 32.
Meanwhile, it was Sahara Williams, setting a fierce tone by grabbing six offensive rebounds, who led the Sooners with 22 points.
Up to No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25, OU (21-6, 9-5 SEC) has just two regular season games remaining, against Arkansas on Thursday and at Missouri on Sunday.
Both opponents unranked, it’s a chance to play two more terrific games on the way into postseason play.
Gasso’s squad struggling to dominate
Playing six games in four days at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, California, last weekend, little came easy for coach Patty Gasso’s Sooner softball team.
The Sooners lost to Long Beach State 6-4 on Saturday, trailed Cal 4-1 later Saturday before plating five runs in the sixth inning to win 7-5 and needed an extra inning to dispatch Cal-State Fullerton 6-5 in their Thursday night opener.
One bright spot? Miali Guachino, a sophomore transfer from Ole Miss, may have earned the No. 2 spot among Sooner pitchers behind Audrey Lowry.
In five Cathedral City appearances, Guachino tossed 13 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs, walking three and striking out 19.
Lowry, meanwhile, enjoyed two strong appearances, allowing 11 hits but only two runs over 10 innings against Cal-State Fullerton and Duke; and one suspect outing, allowing three hits, two walks and three runs over three innings of middle relief against Long Beach State, before yielding to Guachino.
Lowry’s earned run average is 1.72. Guachino’s is 2.82.
New polls don’t come out until Tuesday.
We’ll see if the Sooners (13-2) remain in the top five.
Sooner men’s rally short lived
Though Oklahoma had beaten two good teams in Vanderbilt and Georgia the previous week, all threats of a miracle finish ceased with losses at Tennessee and at home against Texas A&M.
Against the Vols, OU was within 68-62 with 6:18 remaining, only to be outscored 21-4 the rest of the way.
Against the Aggies, OU trailed the length of the second half before pulling within a bucket in the final minute. Though Dayton Forsythe missed a 3 to tie it with 11 seconds remaining, the Sooners (13-14, 3-11 SEC) never had the ball with a chance to take the lead.
OU meets Auburn at home on Wednesday and LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday.