How Does Oklahoma Match Up Against the Texas Pitching Staff?

NORMAN — So often, the pitching matchup plays a major role in deciding the winner when Oklahoma and Texas get together.

This weekend should be no different.

While the pitching staff has been on the rise over the last month for the No. 2 Sooners, the No. 4 Longhorns’ staff has endured a slight wobble.

Though Texas won the series against No. 14 Texas A&M, the Aggies plated 19 runs in three contests in Austin.

Then last weekend, No. 3 Alabama scored 19 runs across its series victory.

Still, Patty Gasso has nothing but respect for Texas’ veteran staff.

“(Teagan) Kavan, we've always seen her. We've had some success with her, but she's elite. There are other pitchers who throw the ball well, we will be ready,” Gasso said on Wednesday.

“Some success” is modest.

Oklahoma scored six runs on eight hits in six innings of combined action against Kavan in 2024, then the Sooners throttled the Longhorn ace in 2025 — right up until she pitched a gem in the Women’s College World Series.

Before the battle in Oklahoma City last June, OU had plated 14 runs on 12 hits in 4 1/3 innings of work across two games against Kavan.

But the right-hander got the last laugh.

She held Oklahoma to two runs on seven hits in a complete game effort at the WCWS to help Texas notch its first win over the Sooners north of the Red River in over a decade.

“They have a very stacked pitching staff and they’re going to be competitive,” OU slugger Ella Parker said.

Kavan is back to lead Texas again in 2026. She is second on the team with a 2.68 ERA, only trailing Cambria Salmon’s 2.10 mark, for a staff entering the weekend with a 2.58 ERA.

But that mark jumps to 3.63 in SEC play, and the Sooners will have the advantage of having seen a majority of the Longhorn arms.

Citlaly Gutierrez is back alongside Kavan, and she’s also had her share of struggles against Oklahoma.

The Sooners have seen Gutierrez 10 times over the last three years. She’s pitched a combined 31 2/3 innings, allowing 26 runs on 39 hits.

Kavan has started seven of Texas’ 12 SEC contests so far, also making two appearances in relief, and Gutierrez has started twice and appeared in five contests.

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The new face for OU to study is freshman Hannah Wells, who has a 3.73 ERA in SEC contests and has made five appearances and three starts.

Oklahoma, by comparison, rolls south with a 2.73 ERA on the year and a 2.72 ERA in conference play.

“We have studied,” Gasso said. “We face some good pitchers at LSU. We faced (Kyra) Aycock at Ole Miss, who was tough on us. So we are prepared for what we're about to face, because we have faced good pitching throughout."