The top-ranked Sooners are back in action on Friday as they open the Cowgirl Challenge by facing Central Arkansas and then the host team McNeese State for the nightcap. In all, Oklahoma will play five games over the weekend and they’ll all be televised by ESPN+. After facing a tough field in Mexico last weekend, OU will be facing two tournament teams, from a year ago, as they get started in Louisiana this weekend. UCA was eliminated in the Tuscaloosa Regional last spring while the Cowgirls lost out in the Seattle regional.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time | TV | Result |
| February 16 | Central Arkansas | 3:30 PM | ESPN+ | |
| February 16 | McNeese State | 6:00 PM | ESPN+ |
Tuning In
The Central Arkansas game will be broadcast on 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2. Oklahoma’s game against McNeese State will be broadcast on 107.7 FM The Franchise, 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2. Both games will also be televised on ESPN+.
Notes & Storylines
- OU went 4-0 at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge over opening weekend, extending their NCAA-record win streak to 57 games dating back to last season.
- Oklahoma earned their first two ranked wins of 2024 last weekend by downing No. 9/11 Duke 3-0 and No. 10/7 Washington 4-3 in eight innings.
- The OU lineup produced 7.75 runs per game, batting .327 with eight home runs and a 1.027 OPS over the four games.
- Alyssa Brito hit .417/.533/1.167 for a 1.700 OPS with three home runs and five RBIs to earn most-outstanding-player honors. Kelly Maxwell and Kasidi Pickering joined her on the all-tournament team.
- Oklahoma’s pitching staff allowed just three earned runs, recording a 0.78 staff ERA, and limited opponents to a lone extra-base hit in 109 plate appearances. Opponents batted .186 on the weekend.
- Oklahoma’s pitchers dominated out of the bullpen over opening weekend, combining for 13.1 scoreless innings in eight appearances. Opponents managed to bat just .149 off of the OU bullpen, producing a meager .365 OPS. Karlie Keeney led all Sooner relievers with 6.2 shutout frames on the weekend.
- Head coach Patty Gasso moved into third in NCAA history with her 1,458th career win in OU’s victory over Duke on Feb. 9, passing Margie Wright (Fresno State).
- OU right-hander Karlie Keeney has extensive experience against Central Arkansas from her time at Liberty, making four starts last season against her now-former conference rival. Keeney owns a 2.59 ERA across 27.0 innings vs. the Bears, going 1-3 in her four outings.
- Oklahoma hasn’t faced Central Arkansas since the 2015 Norman Regional, run-ruling the Bears 8-0 in five, and defeated Lamar 12-2 in five at the 2016 Sportco Kick Off Classic in Las Vegas, the lone meeting between the two programs.
- The Sooners last met McNeese at the Houston Classic in 2022, outscoring the Cowgirls 26-1 in a pair of five-inning run-rule wins.
Heavy Hitters
- Oklahoma (4-0) has a team batting average of .327, with 31 runs scored on the season.
- Central Arkansas (1-4) is batting .165, with 24 runs scored.
- McNeese State (4-1) has a team batting average of .321 and has scored 40 runs on the season.
From The Circle
- Oklahoma’s pitchers own a 0.78 ERA with a total of just six runs allowed in 2024.
- Central Arkansas’ staff is posting a 3.43 ERA and has given up 21 runs on the season.
- McNeese pitchers have a combined 2.57 ERA with 13 runs allowed.
Chasing Milestones
- Tiare Jennings needs to score just two more runs in order to tie Grace Lyons (227) for seventh all-time at OU.
- Jennings also needs just six more RBI to tie Lauren Chamberlain (254) for second all-time at OU.
- Kinzie Hansen needs four more home runs to tie Sydney Romero (54) for eight all-time at OU.
- Nicole May’s next win will be the 50th of her career.
- Cydney Sanders needs five more RBI to reach 100 for her career.
Pick The Score Contest
Alright, we’re trying something new with select games this season. Give us your score prediction for the Oklahoma/Central Arkansas game in the comments section below. If you get it right you can win some OU merch.
Tiebreakers
In addition to the score prediction give us the following.
A) Total strikeouts recorded by Oklahoma pitchers during the game
B) Total bases for Kinzie Hansen
- We’re going with the “Price is Right Rules” for the tiebreakers. If you go over the amount you bust. The person with the closet tie breaker prediction, without going over, will win.
- Make sure that we can contact you. If you aren’t registered for the site (through WordPress) make sure that we can reach you by dropping your Twitter/X handle in your comment.
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