The Oklahoma Sooners (19-1) are set for a three-game series against the Iowa State Cyclones (9-10) that will mark the start of their final season in the Big 12. The two teams will meet for a doubleheader at Loves Field on Saturday before the series wins up with a final game on Sunday.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time | TV |
| March 9 | Iowa State | 2:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| March 9 | Iowa State | 5:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| March 10 | Iowa State | 1:00 PM | ESPN+ |
Tuning In
Wednesday’s game will be streamed on ESPN+ ($), 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2 and 107.7 FM The Franchise.
Oklahoma: A Juggernaut on Offense
- The Sooners boast a potent offense, averaging a whopping 8.2 runs per game as they enter conference play.
- Freshman Kasidi Pickering is blistering the ball with a batting average of .458
- The pitching staff is no slouch either, with an impressive team ERA of 1.33.
- Oklahoma will look to ride their hot bats and strong pitching to extend their current win streak against the Cyclones, which currently stands at 48 games.
Iowa State: Battling for Respect
- The Cyclones haven’t reached the lofty heights of Oklahoma, but they are a scrappy team with the ability to pull off surprises.
- Offensively, they’ll need a strong performance from senior outfielder Angelina Allen, who leads the team with a .543 batting average and 26 RBIs.
- Pitcher Saya Swain has been a bright spot for Iowa State, boasting a 2.07 ERA.
- Iowa State will need to play mistake-free softball and capitalize on any scoring opportunities they can create.
Key Matchup to Watch:
- The battle between Oklahoma’s dominant offense and Iowa State’s pitching staff will be the central theme. Can Swain and the Cyclones contain the Sooners’ explosive bats, or will Pickering and the rest of the Sooner bats continue their dominance over ISU?
Notes
- Oklahoma Softball begins its final season as a member of the Big 12 this weekend by welcoming Iowa State to Love’s Field to open conference play.
- OU holds a 95-28 advantage in the all-time series vs. Iowa State including a 71-4 mark under Patty Gasso. The Sooners haven’t dropped a game to Iowa State since April 22, 2016.
Heavy Hitters
- As a team, the Sooners are batting .385 with 164 runs scored this season.
- The Cyclones come to Norman with a .306 team batting average and 110 runs scored.
From The Circle
- Oklahoma’s pitching staff has only allowed 29 runs this season and has a combined ERA of 1.33.
- Iowa State pitchers have a combined ERA of 5.26 and have given up 112 runs this season.
Chasing Milestones
- Tiare Jennings needs 1 hit to tie Kelli Braitsch (558) for eighth on OU’s all-time list
- Jennings needs 1 double to tie Lisa Carey (56) for second on OU’s all-time list
- Nicole May needs 2 wins to tie Kelsey Stevens (56) for 10th on OU’s all-time list
- Jayda Coleman needs 2 runs scored to tie Amber Flores (232) for sixth on OU’s all-time list
- Kinzie Hansen needs 7 RBIs to tie Shay Knighten (197) for ninth on OU’s all-time list
Prediction:
This series heavily favors Oklahoma on paper. However, as we learned last weekend, softball is a game of momentum and Iowa State has the potential to steal a game if they can play a clean series.
Predicted Series Winner: Oklahoma Sooners (but expect at least one close game)
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