OU Softball: No. 3 Oklahoma Embracing 'Huge Challenge' Presented by No. 2 Texas

The Red River rivals have played for two of the last three national titles, and this weekend's series could serve as an eliminator for the 2025 SEC Regular Season Championship.

Oklahoma's Ella Parker / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

NORMAN — This season has flown by for Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso. 

The No. 3-ranked Sooners will open their final series of the regular season, a three-game version of the Red River Rivalry, which seems impossible for the legendary coach. 

“I am shocked that this is our last home regular season series. I'm shocked,” Gasso said on Tuesday. “And I'm still like 'We still have to cover'... I'm like, 'What have we been doing?' We've been teaching. It's been a constant merry-go-round of learning and questions and put it on the field, bring it back.”

Oklahoma and Texas have played for two of the last three national titles. 

And this year’s matchup between the Sooners and the No. 2-ranked Longhorns will go a long way towards deciding the SEC Regular Season Championship. 

Both Oklahoma (39-5) and Texas (41-6) are tied for second in the conference, sitting at 13-5 in league play. 

No. 1 Texas A&M leads the pack at 13-4, but the Aggies still have to take on No. 9 Arkansas and No. 4 Tennessee before the conference descends upon Athens, GA, for the SEC Tournament. 

The fact that OU is still in the thick of the fight atop the best conference in softball is also something Gasso didn’t expect. 

“I am so proud of what these guys have done thus far,” she said. “And I don't know if I even said it out loud to you all, but never would I ever believe that we would be tied for second in the SEC with this team that we have and a new pitching staff and a completely new infield with the exception of Cyd Sanders, a broken down Ella Parker and, you know, Kasidi Pickering and Nelly (McEnroe-Marinas) leading us, a freshman captain. 

“We have a freshman captain. That tells the whole story. So I'm just so proud of them and what they've continued to fight and trust our coaching staff.”

In the opposite dugout this weekend, Mike White’s Longhorns returned a wealth of experience. 

Texas is still led by star catcher Reese Atwood and Mia Scott and Joley Mitchell, and the pitching staff is still anchored by ace Teagan Kavan, Citlaly Gutierrez and Mac Morgan. 

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How to Watch Oklahoma vs. Texas

• Game 1: Friday, 5 p.m., Love's Field, ESPNU
• Game 2: Saturday, 11 a.m., Love's Field, ESPN2
• Game 3: Sunday, 1 p.m., Love's Field, ESPN2

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“They've got power. Big hitters. They've got speed,” Gasso said. “Very well balanced. Very athletic. Good arms in the outfield. Great catcher, one of the best. They've got it all. So this is a huge challenge for us. 

“We've gotta have to have some success off of their pitching staff. Have a good game plan, stick to it. Not get to high, not get too low. Just keeping staying in the game, staying ahead of the game the best that we can, both with our minds and with the scoreboard.”

The Sooners rose to the challenge in their last rivalry matchup, a run rule win over No. 23 Oklahoma State, and OU is ready for the electric atmosphere Texas will garner at Love’s Field. 

"I'm super excited. OU-Texas is always a big weekend, whatever sport it is,” outfielder Hannah Coor said. “But I think it's a little extra special, just the history we have with their softball program the last few years. So it's exciting to relive that and get all the newcomers on board now with what's going on. Just the way we've been about it. I'm excited."

Still, Gasso feels her and the coaching staff need to work harder to get the team ready for the emotion of the weekend, especially after dropping two of three games to Alabama in Tuscaloosa two weekends ago. 

“I think I need to share more,” Gasso said. “… We went to Alabama and I'm like, well, we're kind of rivals. We're not in the same conference, but we've been rivals. I should have shown them what this rivalry really looks like. It's a respectable rivalry. It's not dirty or anything. But I need to do a better job of making them understand what this weekend is going to feel like as well.

“And then going to Florida (next week), we have history with them in the postseason. So a lot is coming at us in the next two weeks. And I am vowing to make sure that they have a good understanding of what this could feel like and what it's going to look like. But we've already experienced it, so I don't know that anything is going to truly shock them.”

Texas toppled Oklahoma in last year’s regular season series, but the Sooners got the last laugh.



OU beat the Longhorns for the Big 12 Tournament Championship and then again in the Women’s College World Series Championship Series to capture the program’s fourth-straight title. 

Gasso’s team can start off on the right foot at Friday at 5 p.m., and the battle from Love’s Field will be broadcast on ESPNU. Saturday and Sunday’s contests will air on ESPN2.

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