Oklahoma softball: Surprises and concerns for Sooners entering second half of season

NORMAN — At about the halfway mark of OU’s softball season — assuming a deep Women’s College World Series run — it’s time for a mid-season check-up on the Sooners.

OU continues its season with a three-game series at Kansas, the Big 12’s surprise team, beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday. The second game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, followed by the finale at noon Saturday.

Here’s a look at three surprises from the Sooners in the first half of the season, two things the Sooners need to win a third consecutive WCWS title and who is the biggest threat to OU’s dominance:

More: OU softball rolls past Kansas as Sooners pitcher Kelly Maxwell nearly no-hits Jayhawks

Three surprises so far for OU softball

A stunning loss: This is the surprise that shouldn’t really be a surprise.

OU’s dominance on the diamond made it easy to believe that rolling off wins the way they have the last few years is normal.

It’s not.

But it was still stunning when the Sooners’ Love’s Field opening weekend wrapped up with a 7-5, eight-inning loss to Louisiana on March 3.

Since the loss, OU has won 13 consecutive games by a combined 137-16, winning eight of the games in five innings.

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Freshman duo of Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering: Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering have seamlessly shifted into the Sooners’ lineup, combining to hit .417 with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs.

That the Sooners recruit at a high level isn’t a surprise, but the way they’ve seemingly effortlessly fit right in with the Sooners’ lineup has been.

The most surprising element of their games has to be Parker’s baserunning.

She’s 11 of 12 on stolen bases.

Another freshman, Maya Bland, has been the Sooners’ primary pinch runner this season and is 8 of 9 on stolen bases.

The Sooners have 40 stolen bases as a team. Last season, they had 53.

More: Why OU softball freshman Ella Parker is 'very much like' Alyssa Brito batting for Sooners

Pitching depth: The Sooners’ pitching was expected to be a strength with Oklahoma State transfer Kelly Maxwell and veteran Nicole May at the helm, plus transfer Karlie Keeney added to the mix.

But the emergence of Kierston Deal has a weekend starter, as well as the job Paytn Monticelli and SJ Geurin have done in spot work, has been particularly surprising.

“It’s a new space,” Sooners pitching coach Jennifer Rocha said. “We’ve had pitchers, multiple pitchers that have had success since I’ve been here. This is a little bit different, but it’s a little bit of a matchup piece at times with a good balance of lefties and righties coming at us. … It’s like a puzzle being able to fit them in appropriately.

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Two keys for another WCWS run for Sooners

Kinzie Hansen’s health: Riley Ludlam has been solid at the plate, hitting .348 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 46 at-bats.

But Hansen is not only the team’s leader, she also brings a different element behind the plate.

Hansen is nearly impossible to steal against and sets the tone for OU’s strong defense.

Hansen has been dealing with a knee injury of late that’s limited her to spot duty, but Patty Gasso said recently that Hansen should be able to return to regular action in the next couple weeks.

Kelly Maxwell staying dominant: The Sooners don’t have a pitcher like Jordy Bahl that they figure to ride the whole way through the postseason, but Maxwell is the closest thing to it.

Maxwell has been very good of late especially, going 9-0 with a 1.66 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings.

In conference play, she’s 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings.

The main concern with Maxwell is walks, but if she can limit those, Maxwell can be OU’s workhorse.

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Which team is OU softball's biggest threat?

Texas: The Sooners will get an up-close look at the biggest threat to breaking their run of dominance next week with a three-game series in Austin, Texas.

The Longhorns are 28-3 with their only losses coming to Stanford, Houston and LSU.

Only OU has fewer than three losses.

The Longhorns have the Big 12’s lowest ERA at 1.26 — ahead of OU’s 1.39 — and are second in hitting with a .391 average (OU’s is .394).

Texas also scheduled aggressively, with games not only against Stanford and LSU but also Florida State, UCLA, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas State among others.

The Longhorns are already battle-tested but will be even more so once the WCWS rolls around.

It’s not out of the question to have a Red River WCWS Championship Series for the second time in three seasons.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball: Surprises, concerns for Sooners in second half of season