OU softball pitcher Kelly Maxwell gives Bedlam vs. Oklahoma State a different edge

NORMAN — Kelly Maxwell has been pretty matter-of-fact during her lone season in OU’s crimson and cream.

Maxwell isn’t one to rock the boat much, even if waves are crashing around her.

And that isn’t likely to change this weekend as Maxwell is front and center when the No. 2 Sooners take on No. 4 Oklahoma State, Maxwell’s former team, in the final Big 12 Bedlam series at Love’s Field.

“She has really grown so much since she’s been here,” OU coach Patty Gasso said. “She has not looked in the rearview mirror. Looking out the front window and what’s in front of her. She’s the most professional-style pitcher. She’s a solid young lady, very mature and professional and intelligent. There’s a lot of wonderful things about her that will be celebrated this weekend.”

Maxwell is the Sooners’ ace, entering the weekend series 16-1 with a 1.66 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 101 innings pitched.

She’ll likely be in the circle for OU in the 6:30 p.m. Friday opener, which will be televised on FS1, and could make another appearance in the series.

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Maxwell has made at least two appearances in three of the last four Big 12 series.

Sooners catcher Kinzie Hansen said she’s seen Maxwell relax more lately.

“Even in the past month, we’ve seen so much growth,” Hansen said. “I’m sure it’s not easy coming from a rivalry school, coming to the University of Oklahoma, somebody who you’ve pitched against the last four years or however many. So just being able to build that friendship and that camaraderie has been really, really fun.”

Cowgirls coach Kenny Gajewski knows all about the intricacies of being on both sides of Bedlam.

Gajewski played for the Sooners’ 1994 national championship baseball squad and spent about a decade in Norman after his playing career ended.

Gajewski made some waves in the offseason with some of his comments on Maxwell.

“My only disappointment for Kelly,” Gajewski said at an OSU athletic donor event, “is that she went to OU, because now she’s lost everything here that she’s ever done. And as long as I’m here, it’ll be hard for her to come back here. That’s just the way it is.”

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Gajewski clarified and re-evaluated his comments later, saying they made it seem like it was about him, and not Maxwell’s overall legacy — which is considerable at OSU.

During her Cowgirls’ career, Maxwell was 58-20 with an eye-popping 746 strikeouts.

Maxwell said earlier this season that she had progressed significantly during her time at OU, especially as it related to film study.

“It was very different from where I came from,” Maxwell said of studying film with Sooners’ pitching coach Jennifer Rocha. “I’ve never really watched much film and never really took the time to study other hitters. So having this new knowledge is really elevating my games and I think it’s going to help me in the long run.”

But Gajewski said the Maxwell that will be in the circle against his squad this weekend will be the same one he has been so used to seeing in orange and black.

“It’s hard to change your stripes this late,” Gajewski said. “I’m sure she’s got some new wrinkles that we’ll watch and be prepared for, but she’s still gonna rely on the same stuff, I would think.”

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But Gajewski said there was at best a negligible advantage for his hitters to have seen her in practices before this season.

“We don’t have a ton of kids who have faced her a bunch,” Gajewski said. “So we’ll just be preparing, watching film, doing that stuff we normally do here. Just go about it. She’s having a good year, so it’ll be a dog fight. It’ll be tough. We’re not gonna back down, I can tell you that. We’ll be ready and we’ll see where it falls.”

OSU’s regular lineup consists entirely of first- or second-year players at OSU, usually with at least four players who weren’t in Stillwater during Maxwell’s time.

While there might’ve been some frayed feelings between Gajewski and Maxwell, at least at the time of the departure, OSU’s current pitching star, Lexi Kilfoyl, is looking forward to seeing her old teammate.

“We all love her to death,” Kilfoyl said. “She’s an amazing person. I know a bunch of us are excited to see her.”

Staff writer Scott Wright contributed to this story.

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Bedlam softball

Friday-Sunday at Love's Field in Norman:

• Game 1: Friday (6:30 p.m., FS1)

• Game 2: Saturday (noon, ESPN):

• Game 3: Sunday (3 p.m., ESPN2)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball's Kelly Maxwell faces former Oklahoma State team in Bedlam