No. 3 Texas Softball Preview: Oklahoma Sooners

The Texas Longhorns are heading to Norman for a rematch of the 2024 Women's College World Series.

Texas outfielder Ashton Maloney (7) catches the ball for an out in the sixth inning of an NCAA softball game between the University of Oklahoma State Cowgirls and the Texas Longhorns in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Texas won 1-0. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's rivalry weekend for the Texas Longhorns.

While top-ranked Texas baseball prepares to take on Texas A&M in Austin for the first encounter since Jim Schlossnagle shocked the nation with his move to the Forty Acres, Texas softball is in Norman to take on defending national champions Oklahoma for the second-to-last conference series of the season.

Last year, the Sooners traveled to Austin for a three-game weekend series in the Big 12 conference. Texas pulled a major upset and took the series 2-1. Now, the Sooner State and in the Southeastern Conference, more is at stake.

Jun 6, 2024; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners catcher Kinzie Hansen (9) is safe at second as the tag by Texas Longhorns infielder Viviana Martinez (23) is not in time in the fourth inning during game two of the Women's College World Series softball championship finals at Devon Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images / Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Not only are Texas and Oklahoma tied in the conference at 13-5, the Longhorns haven't won in Norman since 2006, when then-senior and Longhorn legend Cat Osterman led Texas to 9-4 and 2-0 wins. During the opening game, the pitcher became the first Longhorn to surpass 1,000 career innings pitched.

Nearly 20 years later, a legend in the making will likely take the circle. Sophomore pitcher Teagan Kavan did not play against the Sooners last year, but has since then established herself as a crucial part of the Texas defense. Head coach Mike White's pitching depth is strong, with Citlaly Gutierrez and Mac Morgan often alternating with Kavan.

The Texas team will be without last year's hero, shortstop Viviana Martinez. Out with an ACL injury this time around, Martinez scored both winning runs from Katie Stewart's hits.

Stewart currently holds this season's RBI record at 63, just one ahead of junior catcher Reese Atwood with 62. If Atwood drives in five runs before Stewart drives in four, she will hold the top two spots in the program's all time single-season RBI list, following a stellar 90 in 2024.

The first pitch for this new era of the Red River Rivalry will take place at 5 p.m. on Friday at Love's Field. All three games will be broadcasted on ESPNU or ESPN2.

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