Oklahoma's Kendall Wells Sets Record, Clinches Red River Rivalry With Clutch Homer

Kendall Wells picked the perfect time to make her first major contribution to the Red River Rivalry.

After striking out in four of her first six official at-bats against the Longhorns, the freshman phenom stepped up to the plate with two on and No. 2 Oklahoma trailing in the fifth inning.

The OU catcher was only going to struggle for so long.

Wells crushed a no-doubter off the arm of Texas reliever Citlaly Gutierrez to put the Sooners on top for the first time on Saturday night and set the NCAA freshman home run record.

RECORD-SETTING GO-AHEAD KW BOMB 💣@KendallWells__ | 📺ESPN pic.twitter.com/0eFXByZP4g
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 12, 2026

There was still time for Texas to rally, however.

The No. 4 Longhorns fought back with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but starter Miali Guachino combined with Audrey Lowry, who came into the game in the seventh, did enough to close out the win and seal the series victory with a 4-3 win at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin.

Oklahoma improved to 40-3 on the year and 13-1 in conference play with the win, while Texas fell to 32-6 overall and 9-5 in SEC contests.

Wells’ home run was her 31st of the year and tied her for eighth all-time in a single season.

The Sooners saved at least three runs with excellent defense in Friday’s win, but Gabbie Garcia was a bit unfortunate in the bottom of the first.

Kayden Henry started the frame with a walk, then Garcia came a few inches shy of another fantastic play at short.

Katie Stewart bounced a ball between Sydney Barker at third and Garcia, and the OU shortstop’s outstretched glove poked the ball into foul territory to allow the Texas slugger to reach safely.

Guachino then got Reese Atwood to pop up, but Viviana Martinez put the ball in play back up the middle, and Garcia again batted the ball with her glove after diving into the hole, but she was unable to make the play again.

As a result, Henry was able to round third and score the first run of the weekend for the Longhorns.

Neither play was an error, but Garcia had her pitcher’s back all the same in the second inning.

She clubbed a 3-1 pitch opposite field for her 17th home run of the year to tie the game at 1-1.

3-1 swinging ✅

GG's 17th! pic.twitter.com/FTHyAarVwp
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 12, 2026

OU stranded runners in the second, third and fourth innings, but the Sooners were unable to take the lead.

Guachino was able to keep a powerful Texas lineup in check for a few innings.

She retired the side in order in the second inning, then struck out Stewart and Atwood in back-to-back at-bats to end the third.

The Longhorns put runners on the corners with two outs in the fourth after a successful challenge by Mike White reversed a call at first.

Durant, OK, product Jaycie Nichols turned White’s challenge into a run.

She was able to slap the ball over Guachino’s head in the circle to reach on an infield single and record her first RBI in SEC play to put the hosts back on top 2-1.

Texas made a pitching change with two on and no out in the top of the fifth, withdrawing Brenlee Gonzales for Guitierrez, and Wells immediately made the Longhorns pay for the decision.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

OU loaded the bases with two outs, but Ailana Agbayani was unable to recreate her Red River grand slam from last year’s sweep, as she instead flew out to end the threat.

Leighann Goode got one back for Texas in the bottom of the fifth with two outs to send the game to the sixth with Oklahoma leading 4-3.

The Sooners again stranded two runners in the sixth, bringing their total to nine runners left on base for the evening, but Guachino was able to retire the Longhorns in order to keep the lead intact.

Garcia almost added an insurance run with her second homer of the night, but the ball died on the warning track, and OU was unable to add to its advantage in the seventh.

Lowry entered in the bottom of the inning to face the heart of the Texas order, and after shutting out the Longhorns on Friday, the lefty recorded the save.

She struck out Henry to start the frame, but allowed Stewart a one-out single to bring Atwood up to bat.

The Longhorns’ all-time home run leader could have won the game with a long ball, but instead she rolled a grounder to Sydney Barker at third to start a game-ending double play.

The Red River Rivals will close out the weekend series at 1 p.m. on Sunday at McCombs Field.