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Big 12 power rankings: OSU transfer Kelly Maxwell fitting in nicely for No. 1 OU softball

ryan aber, the oklahoman
·4 min read

None of the top three teams in last week’s Big 12 softball power rankings lost over the opening weekend of the season.

OU, Texas, and Oklahoma State went a combined 14-0, outscoring opponents 134-16.

Each beat ranked opponents — the Sooners knocked off Duke and Washington, while the Longhorns and Cowgirls picked up wins over UCLA.

With the dominance up top, there was little movement near the top of this week’s power rankings, but there was some movement below that.

Here are the Big 12 power rankings after the season’s first weekend:

More: How many times has OU softball team trailed during NCAA-record winning streak?

1. Oklahoma

The Sooners kept rolling right along, though it took a late comeback against Washington to keep the now-57-game winning streak alive. Kelly Maxwell made an immediate impact in her Sooners’ debut weekend, going 2-0 and allowing just one hit and no runs in 7 ⅔ innings.

Last week: 1

Record: 4-0

More: Mussatto: Can Patty Gasso, OU softball pull off 'unheard of' NCAA four-peat? Of course.

Oklahoma's Kelly Maxwell throws a pitch during the University of Oklahoma softball competes in the Battle Series Game 5 at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Okla., Thursday, Nov., 9, 2023.
Oklahoma's Kelly Maxwell throws a pitch during the University of Oklahoma softball competes in the Battle Series Game 5 at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Okla., Thursday, Nov., 9, 2023.

2. Texas

The Longhorns hit a remarkable .458 with a Big 12-leading 10 home runs. Texas scored 16 or more runs in four of their five games and only one of their games — a 3-2 win over UCLA in their second game Friday — went the distance.

Last week: 2

Record: 5-0

More: How many times has OU softball team trailed during NCAA-record winning streak?

3. Oklahoma State

The Cowgirls lost a premier pitcher, Kelly Maxwell, to rival OU, but had a remarkable first weekend in the circle, allowing just three earned runs and holding opponents to a .188 batting average. Lexi Kilfoyl was 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and just two hits allowed in eight innings.

Last week: 3

Record: 5-0

More: Liberty transfer Caroline Wang shows off power in her Oklahoma State softball debut

Oklahoma State's Lexi Kilfoyl (8) throws a pitch in the second inning during a softball game between Oklahoma State and Utah in the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in in Oklahoma City, Friday, June, 2, 2023.
Oklahoma State's Lexi Kilfoyl (8) throws a pitch in the second inning during a softball game between Oklahoma State and Utah in the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in in Oklahoma City, Friday, June, 2, 2023.

4. Baylor

Going winless and moving up a spot? Yes, because the Bears scheduled aggressively, with a planned three-game series against Tennessee (the Saturday finale of the series was wiped out). It doesn’t get much easier the next two weekends, though, as Baylor will face Louisiana, Oregon, UCLA and Missouri.

Last week: 5

Record: 0-2

5. UCF

The Knights hit .331 in five games, with Aubrey Evans and Johneisha Rowe each going 6 for 13 to pace the offense. But UCF’s 3-2 Saturday loss to UConn knocked the Knights down a spot thanks to Baylor’s strong scheduling.

Last week: 4

Record: 4-1

More: College softball rankings: Big 12 teams in updated Coaches Poll top 25

6. BYU

In the opening weekend, the Cougars’ pitching was behind only the Big 12’s three behemoths. BYU posted a 1.24 ERA with a league-best 34 strikeouts in over Kansas City (twice), Ole Miss, Nevada, and Hawaii in Manoa, Hawaii. Chloe Temples leads the Big 12 with 17 strikeouts.

Last week: 7

Record: 5-0

More: OU softball: Three storylines for Oklahoma Sooners ahead of 2024 season opener

7. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders started the season in Tallahassee, Florida, pushing Florida State to the brink before falling 9-8 on Saturday, just after losing 2-0 to Charlotte. But the Red Raiders beat Charlotte in the finale and swept Florida A&M in a doubleheader to open the season.

Last week: 6

Record: 3-2

8. Houston

The Cougars started off at home with a strong weekend, scoring 37 runs during a 4-1 stretch. Houston hit .357, led by Turiya Coleman. The third baseman/catcher, who begam her career at OU in 2022, belted three home runs and had eight RBIs.

Last week: 10

Record: 4-1

9. Iowa State

The Cyclones faced a stiff test, facing Duke and Washington in Puerto Vallarta in between games with Utah Valley and Long Beach State. Iowa State was blown out by Duke, 16-3 in five innings, but hung tight with Washington before the Huskies scored six in the sixth and won 8-4. The Cyclones’ pitching, though, was suspect, posting a 7.28 ERA — double everyone in the conference except for Baylor.

Last week: 9

Record: 2-2

10. Kansas

The only league team to drop three games so far, Kansas hit a respectable .312, but hit just one home run. Angela Price leads the league with four stolen bases.

Last week: 8

Record: 2-3-1

More: Relive OU softball's run to three straight WCWS titles with our 'Crimson Empire' book

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma softball, OSU, Texas perfect in Week 1: Big 12 power rankings