Oklahoma was the big winner over the weekend in softball. Not only did the Sooners crush No. 24 Kansas in a three-game sweep on the road, they also benefitted from Texas losing two of the three games to Oklahoma State. OU now has a three-game lead on both the Cowgirls and the Longhorns heading into this weekend’s series in Austin.
Here’s how my power rankings are shaking out for Week 9.
2024 Heartland Sports Big 12 Softball Power Rankings, Week 9
| Ranking | Record | Last Week’s Ranking |
| 1. Oklahoma | 34-1 | #1 |
| 2. Oklahoma State | 29-6 | #4 |
| 3. Texas | 29-5 | #2 |
| 4. Kansas | 22-11-1 | #3 |
| 5. UCF | 16-15 | #7 |
| 6. BYU | 20-13 | #9 |
| 7. Texas Tech | 22-10 | #5 |
| 8. Iowa State | 12-18 | #8 |
| 9. Baylor | 19-12 | #10 |
| 10. Houston | 21-14 | #6 |
Notes
- This typically happens. Last week there was very little movement in the rankings and then this week pretty much looks like we scrapped everything and started over. Only two teams are in the same spot they occupied a week ago.
- Oklahoma remains as the only Big 12 team not to have a loss in conference play.
How Oklahoma Compares Against The Big 12
Batting
Oklahoma continues to occupy the top spot in the conference in batting average.
| RANK | TEAM | AVG |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OKLAHOMA | .394 |
| 2 | TEXAS | .377 |
| 3 | BYU | .334 |
| 4 | HOUSTON | .324 |
| 5 | TEXAS TECH | .316 |
| 6 | OKLAHOMA STATE | .315 |
| 7 | UCF | .301 |
| 8 | BAYLOR | .288 |
| 9 | IOWA STATE | .281 |
| 10 | KANSAS | .267 |
Worth Noting: Oklahoma remains as the top hitting team in the Big 12. The Sooners hit 9 home runs in three games last week. They lead the Big 12 in dingers with 68. The next closest to the program is Oklahoma State with 51 home runs.
Best on the Team: Jayda Coleman leads all Big 12 batters with a .466 average. She’s knocked eight home runs this season and brought in 27 RBI, while scoring 45 runs herself.
Pitching
Oklahoma gets the top spot back this week by edging out Texas. The Sooners own the top spot in all three categories heading into Week 9.
| RANK | TEAM | ERA |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OKLAHOMA | 1.40 |
| 2 | TEXAS | 1.41 |
| 3. | OKLAHOMA STATE | 1.76 |
| 4 | BAYLOR | 2.77 |
| 5 | KANSAS | 2.84 |
| 6 | UCF | 3.26 |
| 7 | TEXAS TECH | 4.54 |
| 8 | BYU | 4.90 |
| 9 | HOUSTON | 5.21 |
| 10 | IOWA STATE | 5.73 |
Worth Noting: The Sooners have three pitchers ranked in the Top 10 of the Big 12, in ERA. Karlie Keeney is #3, Kelly Maxwell is #6 and Nicole May is #7.
Best on the Team: Keeney’s ERA is 1.11 on the season. She’s fanned a total of 22 batters and has built a 4-1 record.
Fielding
Oklahoma’s fielding percentage dropped a little from last week. They’re still the top defensive team in the conference but UCF is really pushing them.
| RANK | TEAM | FLD% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OKLAHOMA | 0.985 |
| 2 | UCF | 0.981 |
| 3 | OKLAHOMA STATE | 0.980 |
| 4 | HOUSTON | 0.973 |
| 5 | TEXAS TECH | 0.971 |
| 6 | BAYLOR | 0.970 |
| 7 | BYU | 0.965 |
| 8 | KANSAS | 0.964 |
| 9 | TEXAS | 0.961 |
| 10 | IOWA STATE | 0.958 |
Worth Noting: The Sooners have committed the fewest errors in the Big 12 with thirteen.
Best on the Team: Riley Ludlam and Alynah Torres both are boasting perfect fielding percentages.
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