No. 1 Oklahoma Softball at No. 7/6 Oklahoma State: How to watch, weekend preview, key players
For the final week of the regular season, all eyes turn to Stillwater, Oklahoma for 2023’s edition of Bedlam Softball.
The Oklahoma Sooners come in 46-1 and 15-0 in Big 12 play, riding a nation’s best 38-game winning streak. Oklahoma State is 45-10 and 10-5 in conference play. They’ve lost seven of their last nine games, including upset losses to Texas Tech, Iowa State, Wichita State, UNT, and were swept by the Texas Longhorns in Austin.
Though the Cowgirls are reeling a bit, they’re a force on the diamond and have gone 19-3 at home this season.
As the Sooners and Cowgirls get set for Bedlam Softball in Stillwater, here’s a look at how you can tune in, players to watch, a series outlook, and our prediction.
Weekend Schedule and Broadcast Info
Karli Petty (14) slides into second as the Oklahoma Sooners face the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in the Big 12 Softball Championship at USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City on Saturday, May 14, 2022.
Game 1: Friday, May 5, 6:00 pm CT (ESPN2)
Game 2: Saturday, May 6, 4 pm CT (ESPN)
Game 3: Sunday, May 7, 2 pm CT (ESPN+)
Radio Broadcast Information
All three games can be heard via 107.7 The Franchise in Oklahoma or nationwide on The Varsity Network app with Chris Plank calling the action.
Sooners to Watch
Oklahoma’s Jordyn Bahl (98) celebrates after an out during a college softball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Texas Longhorns at USA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Friday, March 31, 2023. Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Jayda Coleman, CF: .454 batting average with 13 home runs, 40 RBIs, .862 slugging percentage, .574 on-base percentage, and 13 stolen bases.
Tiare Jennings, 2B: .435 batting average with 12 home runs, 49 RBIs, and a .786 slugging percentage.
Alyssa Brito, UTIL: .415 batting average with 12 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .823 slugging percentage.
Kinzie Hansen, C: .414 batting average with 10 home runs, 43 RBIs, and a .778 slugging percentage.
Haley Lee, UTIL: .395 batting average with 12 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .782 slugging percentage, .503 on-base percentage.
Nicole May, P: 15-0, 0.42 ERA, 83 innings pitched and 111 strikeouts, opponent’s batting average of .140.
Alex Storako, P: 15-0, 0.75 ERA, 83.2 innings pitched and 97 strikeouts, opponent’s batting average of .152.
Jordy Bahl, P: 14-1, 1.06 ERA, 98.2 innings pitched and 130 strikeouts, opponent’s batting average of .156.
Cowgirls to Watch
Kelly Maxwell (28) pitches as the Oklahoma Sooners face the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in the Big 12 Softball Championship at USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City on Saturday, May 14, 2022.
Rachel Becker, INF: .459 batting average with 3 home runs, 23 RBIs, .669 slugging percentage, and a .571 on-base percentage.
Cheyenne Factor, OF: .382 batting average with 3 home runs, 28 RBIs, and a .658 slugging percentage, .457 on-base percentage.
Micaela Wark, INF: .343 batting average with 9 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .599 slugging percentage, .426 on-base percentage.
Kylie Naomi, INF: .368 batting average with 10 home runs, 53 RBIs, 25 walks, 20 stolen bases.
Morgyn Wynne, INF: .288 batting average with 9 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .527 slugging percentage, .333 on-base percentage.
Kelly Maxwell, P: 14-3, 1.47 ERA, 114.1 innings pitched, 187 strikeouts, opponent’s batting average of .142.
Lexi Kilfoyl, P: 12-4, 1.85 ERA, 105.2 innings pitched, 107 strikeouts, opponent’s batting average of .189.
Kyra Aycock, P: 9-1, 2.20 ERA, 79.2 innings pitched, 57 strikeouts, opponent’s batting average of .262.
By the Numbers
Oklahoma’s Tiare Jennings (23) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run in the second inning of a college softball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Texas Longhorns at USA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Friday, March 31, 2023. Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma’s 38-game winning streak is the best in NCAA Softball in 2023 and is tied for the fifth-longest streak of all time.
The Sooners clinched their 11th consecutive Big 12 championship in last weekend’s three-game sweep of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Oklahoma leads the all-time series over Oklahoma State 99-72 and are 35-34 in Stillwater.
Since 2011, the Sooners have gone 29-2 against the Cowgirls. Patty Gasso is 20-2 in head-to-head contests with Oklahoma State’s Kenny Gajewski.
In 2022, the Sooners picked up the three-game sweep of Oklahoma State in Norman. Oklahoma outscored the Cowgirls 18-4 to clinch the Big 12 regular season championship. In the Big 12 tournament, Oklahoma State got the better of the Sooners, handing Oklahoma only their second loss on the year, 4-3.
The Sooners lead the nation in team batting average at. 374, while Oklahoma State is batting .328, good for eighth in the country.
Oklahoma is allowing an opponents batting average of just .153 in 2023 and Oklahoma State is allowing opponents to hit .201.
The Sooners’ pitching staff continues to lead the nation in ERA at 0.78. The Cowgirls are 13th in the nation with a team ERA of 1.94
Oklahoma is outscoring their opponents 391 to 37 in 2023, and Oklahoma State has outscored their opponents 319-111.
The Sooners 89 home runs on the season are nearly double the Cowgirls, who have hit 45. Oklahoma has allowed 17 homers and Oklahoma State has allowed 21 home runs on the season.
The Sooners have struck out just 131 times and have drawn a walk 191 times in 2023. Oklahoma State has been struck out 165 times and been walked 194 times.
Oklahoma State has recorded 372 strikeouts from the circle this season. Oklahoma’s pitching staff has recorded 362 strikeouts on the year.
Prediction
Oklahoma’s Jayda Coleman (24) watches after hitting a home run in the first inning of a college softball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Auburn Tigers at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Saturday, March 18, 2023. Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma State is a really good team. They’re one of the ten best teams in the country. At the same time, they’ve had a few head-scratching losses this spring, like the one Tuesday night, where they lost 5-1 to UNT on the road.
But don’t sleep on the Cowgirls. They’ve got one of the best pitchers in the nation in Kelly Maxwell and a lineup that can get hot in a hurry.
The Sooners, however, remain on a different level. They haven’t lost since February and lead the nation in runs scored and ERA. The Sooners have a trio of pitchers that are among the best in college softball Jordy Bahl, Nicole May, and Alex Storako. Each of the Sooners’ aces ranks in the top 10 in the nation in ERA.
Oklahoma’s lineup hasn’t hit home runs at the same pace that they did a year ago, but they still lead the country in home runs per game and they’re 8.19 runs per game is nearly a run better than the next Power Five program, Tennessee.
The Sooners have had the Cowgirls number since 2011, and there’s little reason to believe Oklahoma won’t come away with a series win. Though they already have the Big 12 title locked up, there’s a lot of pride on the line as the Sooners prepare for the postseason.
This series will be a tight one, similar to the Red River series, but the Stillwater crowd will hyped to welcome the Sooners for what could be the last time in some time.
The Cowgirls are in a bit of a funk, but they’ll put their best foot forward against the No. 1 team in the nation.
Oklahoma takes the series.
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