Can Oklahoma baseball hold off a pack of pursuers? | Big 12 baseball power rankings
The Oklahoma baseball team had a chance to keep a tight grip on the Big 12 baseball race. The Sooners went into last weekend with a three-game lead, a home series against Texas and remaining conference series against Texas Tech, Baylor and Cincinnati.
Putting a stranglehold on the standings was there for the taking, but would have been no fun for any Big 12 fans except the ones in Norman. Leave it to Texas to keep everyone interested.
The Longhorns swept a Sunday doubleheader at L. Dale Mitchell Park to win the series, and with three weeks left in the regular season, plenty of possibilities remain. Five teams are within three games of first in the Big 12, and No. 23 Oklahoma's lead is back down to one game over No. 16 Oklahoma State and West Virginia.
Texas sits two games back, and Kansas scrambled back into contention with a sweep of Texas Tech and a favorable remaining schedule.
Related: OU baseball drops doubleheader vs. Texas in 'unfortunate' ending
Related: Kansas sweeps Texas Tech baseball team for first time in 10 years
Here are this week's Big 12 power rankings. Records and rankings in the USA TODAY Sports Top 25 coaches poll are as of Monday.
1. Oklahoma (26-16, 15-6)
Last week: 1
What to know: Leadoff batter John Spikerman and Big 12 on-base percentage leader Jackson Nicklaus returned to the lineup last week. Spikerman missed five weeks after hamate surgery, Nicklaus four games with a hamstring injury.
2. Oklahoma State (30-14, 14-7)
Last week: 2
What to know: You can convince us the Cowboys belong at the top of these rankings based on better pitching than the Sooners and series victories over Oklahoma and West Virginia.
Related: How Oklahoma State baseball star Carson Benge led Cowboys' power surge in winning streak
3. Texas (27-18, 13-8)
Last week: 3
What to know: We get the feeling 2024 is being viewed as a down year in Austin with the pitching staff's inconsistencies and the RPI sitting at No. 58. Still, the Longhorns lead the Big 12 with 90 home runs and six conference series victories.
4. West Virginia (26-16, 14-7)
Last week: 4
What to know: The Mountaineers are set up for a strong finish. They recovered from an 0-3 trip to Texas Tech by sweeping Baylor, and their remaining conference opponents are Cincinnati, Kansas State and TCU.
5. Kansas (25-15, 12-9)
Last week: 9
What to know: Pitching-strong Kansas swept Texas Tech for the first time since 2014. And with Kansas State and Houston next up on the schedule, that might not be the last you hear of the Jayhawks.
6. Texas Tech (29-17, 12-12)
Last week: 5
What to know: The Red Raiders have one of the toughest remaining conference schedules with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. That gives them a chance to improve a No. 41 RPI.
7. Kansas State (26-17, 10-11)
Last week: 7
What to know: K-State strengthened its schedule this season, hoping for an edge come NCAA tournament time. Now the RPI's healthy at No. 31, but the Wildcats have dropped four of their past five Big 12 series after going 1-2 at TCU.
8. Cincinnati (25-19, 11-10)
Last week: 8
What to know: We keep tipping our caps to Cincinnati and first-year head coach Jordan Bischel. Did anyone outside of moms, wives and girlfriends predict the Bearcats above .500 in the Big 12 going into May?
9. Central Florida (26-15, 9-12)
Last week: 6
What to know: With a home series loss to Cincinnati, UCF is 2-6 in its past eight Big 12 games. The Knights' lofty RPI has dropped from top-five in the nation not too long ago to a still-solid No. 33.
10. TCU (26-16, 10-14)
Last week: 10
What to know: TCU remains an NCAA tournament bubble team based on its No. 37 RPI. But the Horned Frogs are 11th place in a Big 12 that will take 10 teams to the conference tournament.
11. Baylor (19-23, 9-12)
Last week: 11
What to know: Bears went 10-1 from March 29 to April 19, their best stretch of the season. Now Kansas and West Virginia have put them on a five-game conference losing streak.
12. Brigham Young (16-24, 6-18)
Last week: 12
What to know: Talk about outcomes that foreshadowed nothing. BYU won two of three at Texas on the first weekend of April and has since been swept by Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
13. Houston (22-22, 6-15)
Last week: 13
What to know: Right fielder Cary Arbolida, second baseman Harold Coll and catcher Jonathan French have slugged 12, 11 and 10 home runs, respectively, helping Houston rank fourth in the Big 12 in that category.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Can Sooners hold off a pack of pursuers? | Big 12 baseball power rankings
