No. 1 Oklahoma 'Learned' From Saturday's Defeat to No. 4 Texas Ahead of Massive Series Finale

The top-ranked Sooners have to bounce back quickly to avoid dropping their first Big 12 series since 2011.

AUSTIN, TX — Oklahoma drew blood first on Friday. 

Behind a stellar outing from Kelly Maxwell, the No. 1-ranked Sooners opened the 2024 Red River Rivalry with a 5-2 win over No. 4 Texas at Red & Charline McCombs Field. 

Saturday, Texas punched back. 

The Longhorns got a phenomenal performance of their own in the circle. Citlaly Gutierrez held OU to just a single run, the lowest scoring output for Patty Gasso’s team since 2019, to draw the series level. 

Oklahoma (35-2, 13-1 Big 12) enters Sunday with the series hanging in the balance for the first time since Oklahoma State took Game 1 of 2021’s Bedlam Series, and the Sooners haven’t lost a Big 12 series since 2011. 

When Maya Bland was thrown out to end the game on Saturday, Texas (30-6, 10-4) came flooding out of the dugout. 

The jubilant celebrations from both the team and the sold out crowd in Austin stood in stark contrast with Oklahoma’s quiet dugout, but Longhorn coach Mike White knows that joy is only temporary. 

“The Sooners never know when to say die. They never die,” White said on Saturday. “… They’re a tough team. They’re going to bounce back. We know they’re going to give us their best shot tomorrow.”

OU silently filed out of the dugout after the loss, but there were no looks of shock. 

Gasso’s team packed up their gear and headed for the bus disappointed with the loss, but there were no stares of disbelief or red eyes in the Oklahoma dugout. 

“You’re not gonna see us crying and in despair,” Gasso said. “We’re a team that bounces back really well, and we understood we needed to learn some things as a team in our responses to things that were not like Sooner-like. So we talked a little bit about that. We learned a lot, and we need that.

“We knew this was going to be like this, and again it’s an honor to have people celebrate so hard when they beat you. Means you’re doing something well. We’ve just gotta get back on the horse, so to speak, and get after it and see what we’re like coming after a loss.”

The first order of business for Oklahoma will be to get the bats going on Sunday. 

Gutierrez’s excellent showing meant the chances were few and far between on Saturday. 

She retired 11-straight OU batters after conceding the only run of the night, preventing the Sooners from building any momentum.

Even Friday’s victory had peaks and valleys.

After Oklahoma put five runs up on starter Mac Morgan, Estelle Czech shut OU down. The Sooners stood on shoulders of the five-run advantage they built early instead of extending the lead late into Friday’s series opener. 

“We had many opportunities and we just didn't take advantage of it but I think that was just the big thing,” OU shortstop and co-captain Tiare Jennings said on Saturday. 

There have been plenty of pitchers who have had success early against Oklahoma, but the Sooners didn’t seem to solve the riddle of Gutierrez as they have on so many occasions in 2024. 

“We didn't make adjustments fast enough,” Oklahoma catcher Kinzie Hansen said, “which is very uncharacteristic for our lineup so we definitely are reaping the consequences of that but I'm excited to see what it looks like going forward because whenever this does happen, our adjustments are much more efficient.”

While Oklahoma’s offense searches for answers, Gasso will have an interesting decision to make with her pitching staff. 

Throughout Big 12 play this year, she’s handed one start each to Maxwell, Nicole May and Kierston Deal in every series. 

Saturday, Gasso called upon Deal for two batters in relief of May. She could easily start Sunday’s series finale, but Texas also got a look at Paytn Monticelli and Karlie Keeney in relief. 

Deal and Monticelli combined to load the bases in the sixth inning Saturday, leaving Keeney to clear up the jam. 

Maxwell will have plenty of confidence if her number is called on Sunday, but Gasso backed the rest of her pitching staff to respond. 

“Game plan was just trying to use what we needed to try and get us through,” Gasso said. “The walks are the things we’ve gotta continue to curb. Kind of just get rid of those. 

“Look, this was a great environment to put these pitchers in and see what they’re made of, and they’ll never forget it. Whether it went good, they’ll never forget it. And that’s what we need right now. We need this.”

For the Longhorns, they’ll have to outgun a desperate Oklahoma team to finish the job and win the series — a feat Texas hasn’t accomplished against OU since 2009.

“Win the series, that’s the tough thing to do,” he said. “… We’ve got to come out with the same energy tomorrow and give it our best shot and continue to play hard.”

First pitch for the crucial matchup is slated for 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.