Fresh Faces Shine Across Oklahoma's Opening Weekend

Oklahoma’s opening weekend in 2026 was mostly a success.

The Sooners took two-of-three games off No. 17 Arizona after taking down Arizona State on opening night.

Patty Gasso’s No. 3-ranked squad faced a 2025 NFCA First Team All-American in Arizona State’s Kenzie Brown and a Wildcat program hoping to take a step forward this season in the Big 12 — all without associate head coach and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha.

The weekend served as the debut for a handful of talented new faces, while also providing valuable lessons to interim pitching coach Karlie Keeney and the entire OU pitching staff.

Here are three big takeaways from the action over the weekend.

Clutch Kendall

Oklahoma Sooners, Kendall Wells — Oklahoma freshman catcher Kendall Wells | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Gasso’s excitement for freshman catcher Kendall Wells has been palpable since her excellent showings during the fall.

And the new Sooner wasted no time making her mark.

Her sixth-inning homer negated a 13-strikeout performance from Brown in Tempe on Thursday night, then Wells combined with Gabbie Garcia for back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning on Sunday to engineer another comeback win.

Wells went 4-for-14 at the plate across the whole weekend, but she had several loud outs to pair with her two late long balls.

Her at-bats will only improve as she continues to work with hitting coach JT Gasso, but Wells’ clutch capabilities cannot be taught.

Oklahoma Softball Weekend Recap

Wells wasn’t the only freshman who enjoyed a productive opening weekend.

Outfielder Kai Minor went 4-for-12 with a home run, two RBIs and a stolen base and Allyssa Parker went 3-for-7 with two home runs and five walks.

Lexi McDaniel also hit her first career home run against the Wildcats.

Sophomore Stars

Oklahoma third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas | John Hoover / Sooners on SI

As impressive as the newcomers were, Gabbie Garcia and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas enjoyed the most productive weekends.

McEnroe-Marinas, a redshirt sophomore, lived on the bases.

She went 7-for-8 at the plate, drew for walks and was hit twice. In addition to the home run she hit, McEnroe-Marinas posted an opening weekend on-base percentage of .929, and she had 10 total bases.

In Garcia’s return to her home state, the true sophomore hit the cover off the softball.

She blasted four home runs, driving in six runs, and went 6-for-14 at the plate with a walk.

Garcia and McEnroe-Marinas also anchored the left side of the infield to back up the pitching staff as they got acclimated to Keeney’s presence in the dugout.

In the series finale with Arizona, the duo combined to throw out the lead runner at third base to make the second out of the 5-4 contest, a key defensive play that helped the Sooners hold on to the win.

Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering bring the most experience in the lineup, but the return of Garcia and McEnroe-Marinas gives the Sooners at least four bats that can single-handedly overpower an opponent on their best day.

Is Audrey the Ace?

Oklahoma Sooners Audrey Lowry — Oklahoma pitcher Audrey Lowry throws against Tulsa in 2025. | John E. Hoover / Sooners On SI

Ahead of the season, Patty Gasso said she liked how confident sophomore left-hander Audrey Lowry looked throughout the offseason.

That confidence was on full display from Day 1.

She threw 5 2/3 innings against Arizona State, allowing just one hit, though it was a home run, which kept the team in the game until Wells could figure out Brown.

Gasso and Keeney then turned to Lowry to end Friday’s nightmare sixth inning against Arizona.

She then got the start in Saturday’s blowout and relieved Kierston Deal in Sunday’s finale to pitch 5 2/3 innings, where she allowed four hits and one walk while firing three strikeouts.

Lowry finished the weekend with a 0.47 ERA in 15 innings, and she was the hurler who was able to keep her cool on Friday while the Sooners’ new braintrust of Gasso and Keeney was truly stressed for the first time.

Ole Miss transfer Miali Guachino looked sharp in Thursday’s opener before struggling to find the strike zone on Friday, and LSU transfer Sydney Berzon faced 10 batters all weekend.

The sudden arrival of Keeney undoubtedly sent a shock through the entire OU pitching staff, but Lowry is a piece everyone can lean on as everyone works through the kinks early in the season.

Oklahoma will be back in action this weekend at the New Mexico Tournament in Las Cruces, NM, which should serve as an opportunity for the entire pitching staff to grow in confidence before the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.