Audrey Lowry's Time is Now at Oklahoma

NORMAN — With conference play approaching in a couple of weekends, Audrey Lowry is emerging as the reliable arm for Oklahoma’s pitching staff.

The Sooners have gotten nice outings from the sophomore left-hander, Ole Miss transfer Miali Guachino, LSU transfer Sydney Berzon and freshman Allyssa Parker, but Lowry is the pitcher Patty Gasso has consistently turned to throughout the first month of the season.

Lowry has thrown 46 innings in 2026, 20 more than Guachino, both from the start and in relief.

She has 31 strikeouts, which is second behind Guachino’s 36 K’s, but crucially, she’s allowed just five walks all year.

Lowry experienced all the highs and lows with the Sooners a year ago, and she appears to be putting it all together in her second season with the program.

Oklahoma Sooners, Audrey Lowry — Oklahoma pitcher showed flashes of excellence as a freshman before dealing with an injury in the middle of the 2025 season. | John E. Hoover / Sooners On SI

"There's a time where you just need to go out there and dominate,” Lowry said after her six-strikeout performance against Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday. “I felt like in the past, I was a little hesitant and wanting to be perfect. But talking to coach Gasso before the game, she was like, 'Just go out there and be you.'

"These are really good weekends for all pitchers. It's a time to get your routine down, get your mental space down and just go out there and do your thing."

Lowry hasn’t been perfect. She gave up five combined earned runs in her outings against Long Beach State and Sam Houston, which were sandwiched between outstanding showings against Duke and Southeastern Louisiana.

On Sunday, Lowry allowed just two hits and needed only 49 pitches to mow through the Southeastern Louisiana lineup.

Gasso doesn’t worry about how Lowry will bounce back if she ever has a rough day at the office, as Gasso knows the work ethic that the talented sophomore brings ot the table.

"She's a really hard worker,” Gasso said. “She'll pitch as many pitches as she wants to in the bullpen just to get it right. But she's also very calculated. She has a good plan for herself. She has a notebook that has a lot of information in it.

“But I think confidence is just completely — you can see some of our sophomores look different. Although these freshmen look like they've been playing for a while, sometimes it takes freshmen a year to really get grounded. Sometimes, specifically, with pitchers. She is very confident with what she's doing right now and you can see it."

Lowry also has another built-in advantage — she has a prior relationship with interim pitching coach Karlie Keeney that most of OU’s pitching staff lacks.

Only Lowry and Kierston Deal were in Norman last year when Keeney served as a student assistant, meaning that while everyone has had to adjust over the past month, Lowry was just picking up where she left off with Keeney last season.

“It's really about communication,” Lowry said. “Like, every inning I'm talking to her and just knowing what I want to throw. I mean, I've had to mature personally, because Coach (Jennifer) Rocha kind of knows you. So [it’s] really learning how to communicate, and it's amazing to have Karlie.”

Lowry’s ability to limit walks allows Gasso’s defense the chance to support the left-hander.

One month into the season, Guachino’s best days have been dominant, but she can run herself into trouble by issuing walks and by hitting batters when she fires inside.

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Berzon has yet to look like the two-time All-American who made three All-SEC teams at LSU, and Parker is splitting time between hitting, playing the field and getting work in the bullpen.

There is still plenty of time in the season for every member of OU’s pitching staff to raise their game, but it’s Lowry’s time to lead the bullpen into SEC play as the ace.

Regardless of when she’s called upon, Lowry is aiming to keep a level head and continue to get outs at a high level.

“It's really about staying neutral,” she said. “I mean, whether you're a hitter or pitcher, not getting too high, not getting too low. So just staying that course, and trusting my defense behind me.”