WEEK 9 SOONER SOFTBALL REPORT: Showdown in Austin
WEEK 9 SOONER SOFTBALL REPORT: Showdown in Austin
The Skinny
Texas did what it could in Stillwater last weekend to take the shine off what’s about to happen in Austin this one. The Longhorns (29-5, 9-3 Big 12) dropped two of three to the Cowgirls, not scoring a run in either of their losses and scoring only twice in the game they won, and for that reason in the one poll that updated Monday, Softball America’s, they’ve fallen from No. 2 to No. 6.
Nonetheless, when Oklahoma (34-1, 12-0) arrives at McCombs Field, there’s still many reasons to believe the Sooners will get the Longhorns’ best. One, the series could still go a long way toward determining the Big 12 regular season champion. Two, there’s a decent chance both teams could meet again at the Women’s College World Series, even, perhaps, in the WCWS best two-of-three championship series as they did two years ago. Three, Texas will finally be back home after playing seven straight games away. And four, when it comes to the numbers, though the Horns’ took a dent at Oklahoma State, these two squads likely remain the nation’s top two.
OU leads the nation in hitting at .394. Texas is second at .377.
OU is third in the nation in earned run average at 1.40. Texas is fourth at 1.41.
OU is third in the nation in on-base percentage at .495. Texas is fourth at .453.
OU is second in the nation in slugging percentage at .733. Texas is sixth at .609.
So the Sooners have an advantage in the power department, and a still bigger one in the field. To date, OU has committed 13 errors and allowed seven unearned runs. Texas has committed 38 and allowed 20.
But if the Horns can field their positions, respond to their crowd and take advantage of a mostly three-headed pitching staff — Teagan Kaven (11-2, 68 1/3 IP, 1.84 ERA, .180 OBA); Mac Morgan (8-0, 50 IP, 1.26 ERA, .173 OBA), Citlaly Gutierrez (6-0, 47 2/3 IP, 1.17 ERA, .167 OBA) — the Sooners could well find themselves in a trio of dogfights.
OU should come in with all kinds of confidence after sweeping previously 18th-ranked Kansas and outscoring the Jayhawks 30-4.
Too bad, it’s no longer No. 1 and No. 2 on the same diamond.
Yet, given the rivalry, perhaps it’s just as good.
It all begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
The Schedule
Last week
— def. Kansas 6-1
— def. Kansas 17-0 (5 innings)
— def. Kansas 7-3
This week
— at Texas, 5:30 p.m. Friday (ESPNU)
— at Texas, 7 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)
— at Texas, 1 p.m. Sunday (ESPN+)
Record: 34-1
Conference record: 12-0
Streak: Won 16
Numbers
Entering last week
Games: 32
Batting average: .394
On-base percentage: .493
Slugging percentage: .733
Earned run average: 1.39
Strikeouts/innings pitched: 195/191
Fielding percentage: .983
Errors: 13
Unearned runs allowed: 7
Entering this week
Games: 35
Batting average: .394
On-base percentage: .495
Slugging percentage: .733
Earned run average: 1.40
Strikeouts/innings pitched: 210/211
Fielding percentage: .985
Errors: 13
Unearned runs allowed: 7
Leaders
Batting average: Jayda Coleman .466 (Rylie Boone .455)
On-base percentage: Jayda Coleman .589 (Cydney Sanders .521)
Slugging percentage: Tiare Jennings 1.000 (Alyssa Brito .931)
Runs batted in: Tiare Jennings 47 (Alyssa Brito 37)
Home runs: Tiare Jennings 15 (Alyssa Brito 14)
Triples: Rylie Boone 1, Alyssa Brito 1, Avery Hodge 1
Doubles: Tiare Jennings 11 (Rylie Boone 8)
Hits: Tiare Jennings 45 (Alyssa Brito 43)
Runs scored: Jayda Coleman 45 (Alyssa Brito 43)
Earned run average: S.J. Guerin 0.72; 9 1/3 IP (Karlie Keeney 1.11; 38 IP
Wins: Nicole May 11-0 (Kelly Maxwell 10-0)
Innings pitched: Kelly Maxwell 61 2/3 (Nicole May 50)
Strikeouts; innings pitched: Kelly Maxwell 69; 61 2/3 (Nicole May 57; 50)
Inside the numbers
• Coleman’s statement: Jayda Coleman entered OU’s three-game set with Kansas slashing .432/.545/.704, All-American type numbers to be sure. Nevertheless, in only three games, her 33rd, 34th and 35th of the season, she raised those same numbers to .466/.589/.818, meaning she jumped from fourth to first on the team in batting average, remained atop the on-base percentage list, though at a significantly higher clip, and somehow raised her slugging percentage 114 points in just seven at bats moving her from seventh to third on the team in the category. Here’s how she did it: Coleman went 6 of 7 at the plate, three of those hits were home runs, while also drawing seven walks against the Jayhawks. Incredible.
• Nobody’s perfect: Entering last week, S.J. Guerin remained the only Sooner with a perfect 0.00 earned run average, an accomplishment made easier by Guerin only being called upon to throw 7 2/3 innings to that point. Well, she’s now thrown 9 2/3, getting an inning of work in both the second and third contests at Kansas, where she allowed her first earned run in the second of those appearances. Her ERA is now 0.71, still tops on the team, in front of Karlie Keeney’s 1.11.
• Jennings not slowing down: It’s possible, if you can believe it, Jayda Coleman did not have the Sooners’ biggest week at the plate. Though Tiare Jennings, going 6 of 12 against the Jayhawks, only raised her batting average from .438 to .444, she also finished the week with three home runs, one in each game, while driving in six, two in each game. She also scored seven runs. Momentarily, she’s leading the Sooners in home runs (15), RBIs (47), doubles (11), slugging percentage (1.000) and hits (45).
Diamond Notes
Sooners have had Longhorns’ number
All that stuff at the top of this thing still applies, for the numbers say it could be a rip-roaring series in Austin this weekend. History, however, says the Sooners should have to problem at all.
Over OU’s three straight national championship seasons, from 2021 to 2023, the Sooners went 12-1 against the Longhorns: 8-1 in the regular season, 1-0 at the Big 12 tournament, 3-0 at the Women’s College World Series.
The last time Texas beat OU was April 16, 2022, a 4-2 victory behind a three-run sixth inning against Sooner pitcher Jordi Bahl. Hailey Dolcini tossed the two-hit victory, not allowing a run until a two-run seventh-inning home run from Kinzie Hansen.
What’s she doing with her pitchers now?
Generally speaking, OU coach Patty Gasso knows exactly what she’s doing with her pitching staff. But that doesn’t mean what she’s doing can’t be odd or interesting. Case in point, she has no problem leaving Kelly Maxwell in the circle to finish what she starts. In last week’s series opener in Lawrence, Maxwell’s only appearance was a seven-inning complete game in the opener. Maxwell allowed nine hits and two walks, yet just a single run. In game two, what became an easy run-rule victory, Nicole May threw the first 3 1/3 innings without a allowing a run (and only one hit), yet was lifted to allow S.J. Guerin and Paytn Monticelli to finish the game. To date, by design or not, Maxwell’s tossed four complete games and May only one.
May is clearly OU’s No. 2 pitcher behind Maxwell, so why not let her finish what she starts more often. This week, at Bedlam, in NCAA regional and super regional play and at the World Series, Gasso’s bound to rely more on her top horses, so why not let them finish more often?
Kierston Deal’s thrown two complete games this season, and last week started game three against the Jayhawks. She tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit, only to be relieved by Karlie Keeney, who tossed 2 2/3 scoreless and one-hit innings, yet Gasso then relieved her with Guerin, who allowed a run, before bringing in Monticelli, who allowed two more. Finally, May arrived in relief to close out a competitive 7-3 victory.
Six pitchers makes for a deep staff, but perhaps not the most effective one when you’re trying too hard to give everybody work.
Remember them?
The competition the Sooners got at their own tournament this season may have been better than what they got at the much ballyhooed and historic Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Two of the three teams that joined OU in Norman, Miami of Ohio, which fell 9-7 to the Sooners, and Louisiana, who both lost to and beat the Sooners, have continued to have solid seasons.
Miami remains unranked, but is 26-6 overall, 9-0 in the MAC and all those offensive categories in which OU ranks No. 2 or No. 3 in the nation, well, Miami is No. 1. Louisiana, meanwhile, is 24-13 overall, 9-0 in the Sun Belt and ranked 19th by Softball America.
Clay: I have to say that I get tired of seeing so much coverage of OU softball. Yes, we all know that it's a dynasty. But unless one is a real die-hard fan, that's enough. It gets old pretty quickly. How about a column covering OU baseball—of which I can't remember seeing much if anything. Or you could fill us in on why Porter Moser still—apparently—has a job at OU. Whoever the next HC is, unless he can recruit a true big man, men's basketball will remain a laughing stock (which OU seems to be fine with under Joe Castiglione at the wheel). Watching March Madness and seeing giants like Edey from Purdue or Filipowski from Duke makes clear that a class big man carries the keys to the kingdom!