Softball Live Blog: No. 4 Oklahoma Seeking Revenge Against No. 1 Texas in Big 12 Championship

OKLAHOMA CITY — Ryan Chapman offers his real-time observations as the No. 4-ranked kick off their stint at the 2024 Big 12 Tournament against the Kansas Jayhawks at Devon Park, formerly known as Hall of Fame Stadium. Just keep the browser open and refresh for Chapman's updates throughout this afternoon's contest.

8:48 p.m.

Nicole May was perfect in relief, retiring all five batters, and the Sooners win the 2024 Big 12 Tournament with a 5-1 victory over Texas. Revenge Tour: complete.

8:41 p.m.

Sooners can't do anything with Cydney Sanders' leadoff double, but the crowd in Oklahoma City doesn't mind too much. Nicole May coming back out of the dugout to try and close out the Big 12 Championship.

8:33 p.m.

Huge sequence for May. She forced Stewart to pop up into foul territory and then struck out Mitchell.

The "O-U" chants are back and the Sooners have one more chance to add to their lead before closing out a ninth Big 12 Tournament title. Sanders-Boone-Coleman due up, OU with a 5-1 lead in the seventh.

8:26 p.m.

Jayda Coleman, everybody. Fully extends over her head to save a sure double and Gasso is pulling Maxwell for Nicole May to a standing ovation.

8:25 p.m.

Buckle up. Scott walked, Martinez plunked and Atwood stepping in with no outs.

8:18 p.m.

Nothing going for OU in the sixth. Maxwell coming back in to face Scott-Martinez-Atwood.

8:12 p.m.

Another fantastic inning from Maxwell. Unbothered by a leadoff walk with a few close calls and she responded with a pair of strikeouts to bring her total today to seven. It's been virtually all Oklahoma so far.

7:53 p.m.

Kelly Maxwell has five strikeouts through four innings. Only allowed a pair of hits and one walk. Mike White is going to be very happy to not have to face her next year.

7:47 p.m.

Jayda Coleman was called for strike three on a check swing, but the damage is done. Okalhoma taking a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth with Atwood slated to lead things off.

7:43 p.m.

Oklahoma feasting on all of Texas' errors.

Mia Scott overthrew first, allowing Alynah Torres to reach and get to second. Then Torres took third on a wild pitch before Rylie Boone slapped a single to extend OU's lead to 5-1.

7:35 p.m.

Martinez looks at strike three and Maxwell gets OU back to the dugout with the 4-1 lead intact.

Crucially, she's gotten Martinez out as the third out both times through the lineup. Splits up the run of Martinez-Atwood-Stewart, which is a tough stretch for any pitcher to roll through.

Pickering-Torres-Sanders due up for the Sooners.

7:26 p.m.

If this is the Oklahoma you see the rest of the way, Patty Gasso's Sooners are going to win their fourth-straight National Championship.

Kinzie Hansen added another run with a two-out double, though she was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Clutch hitting is back on the menu it appears.

7:23 p.m.

Two outs. Two strikes.

Alyssa Brito singles off Washington's glove, OU up 3-1. That's the magic sauce the Sooners have been missing since, well, the two losses to Texas.

7:09 p.m.

Kelly Maxwell's walk hurt there. Texas with virtually no momentum until Joley Mitchell walked. Things change quickly. Maxwell got up 0-2 on Kayden Henry, but she doubled to the wall to score Mitchell and cut OU's lead down to 2-1.

6:59 p.m.

Nothing going for the OU offense in the second inning. Gutierrez got a pair of strikeouts, including fanning Cydney Sanders.

The Oklahoma first baseman is now 1-for-her-last-18 dating back to the series finale against Houston. She's drawn six walks over that stretch.

6:50 p.m.

"Kelly’s gonna be there. She’s there but she’s gonna be at another level. I feel really confident about that."

That's what Patty Gasso had to say yesterday about Oklahoma's ace. She needed just eight pitches to retire Texas in order in the bottom of the first. Starting Maxwell also means the Sooners can shift matchups and go from a left-hander to right-handed Karlie Keeney whenever they want today.

6:45 p.m.

Oklahoma added another when Kinzie Hansen hit into a fielder's choice, and the Sooners will hand Kelly Maxwell a 2-0 lead as she enters the circle for the first time.

Knew there was going to be plenty of juice in the stands with this being Oklahoma and Texas, but the Sooners fans were on their feet with the "O-U" chants during the Longhorns' mound visit in the first inning.

Texas had the benefit of firing their fans up all throughout Saturday and Sunday's contests in Austin, but Mike White rightly noted last night that OU is always a different team at home... or in Oklahoma City.

6:38 p.m.

Texas' defense struggled in the first matchup with the Sooners, but the Longhorns were excellent in the field in both wins.

First two batters today? Coleman reaches on an error and second baseman Alyssa Washington didn't charge Ella Parker's slow bouncer.

And then Tiare Jennings smashes an RBI-double. Sooners sprinting out of the gates today.

6:36 p.m.

Jayda Coleman lets the first pitch go for a ball and things are rolling here in Oklahoma City.

The Sooners couldn't figure out Gutierrez earlier this year in Austin. Big chance to make up for it in the last Big 12 Tournament game either of these teams will play.

6:25 p.m.

The Sooners are decked out in Crimson. Texas with Burnt Orange tops, pants and white socks. Color rush in Oklahoma City!

National Anthem in the books. All that's left before first pitch is reading out the lineups.

6:10 p.m.

It’s exactly the matchup Oklahoma wanted. Patty Gasso’s Sooners will get another shot at Texas. The Longhorns enter today with the No. 1 RPI in the country and OU is No. 2, meaning this game could very well decide the No. 1-overall seed in the NCAA Tournament as well.

Gasso rolling with Kelly Maxwell in the circle per the stats feed for this crucial tilt and Alynah Torres retains her spot at second. Every other spot on the field is as expected.

Still haven’t seen Karlie Keeney in the circle this weekend, but fully expect her to get the call out of the bullpen the second Gasso and associate head coach and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha sense trouble.

It’s overcast, very human and the wind isn’t really blowing out. Generally would say the conditions are set to keep a few balls in the park today, but neither of these teams have struggled bashing homers this weekend with similar conditions.

Game gets underway here in Oklahoma City at 6:30 p.m. and it will be carried live on ESPN2.