Entering Final Weekend of Big 12 Play, Oklahoma Still Has Conference Title Shot
With one weekend of Big 12 play to go, Oklahoma still has a conference title shot.
The Sooners have been as good as anyone in the country over the last month, winning four consecutive weekend series, positioning themselves to potentially have a special season if they can find a way to keep it up.
Heading into a massive set at No. 6 Texas Tech beginning on Thursday, OU can move into first place in the conference with a sweep of the Red Raiders and just one loss for No. 13 Oklahoma State in their series at Baylor.
“We have to play really well,” center fielder Tanner Tredaway said Sunday about the upcoming series against Texas Tech. “Have to go face Lubbock. Play on their own turf. It’s going to be hot as hell out there, too.”
“We’re going to go into it really confident.”
Following a gut-wrenching series loss in Stillwater to the rival Cowboys in early April, it seemed as if the Sooners had faded from any hopes to get into the conference title discussion with attention instead turning toward trying to navigate the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Brett Squires
SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
But now, just five weeks removed from that series at O’Brate Stadium, OU has eyes on bigger goals.
Certainly a conference title, but also what that could bring to the program in terms of postseason play returning to L. Dale Mitchell Park.
"If things go the right way, it's definitely a possibility," Tredaway said. "We talk about it every day. It's almost like, making history here kind of. It hadn't happened in a long time. And, you know, the last few years have been tough. Then boom, all of a sudden we're hosting. That would be really special."
But, the Sooners know in order to make that happen - they need to stay the course of what has worked and gotten them to this point.
“We’ve kind of gone by the same thing this whole year which is the next game is the most important game of the year,” designated hitter Brett Squires said Sunday. “Because it’s the only one we get to play that day. And all we can do is win that one and let the other stuff take care of itself.”
Before heading to Lubbock, Oklahoma will take part in one last non-conference game at Wichita State on Monday night in Wichita at 6 p.m. televised on ESPN+.