The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma
No. 9/8 Softball preview: No. 1/1 Oklahoma
03.29.2023 | Softball
A top-10 matchup awaits Texas and the latest edition of the Red River Rivalry
AUSTIN, TX – For the first time since last year's Women's College World Series Championship Series, The University of Texas and Oklahoma University softball programs will meet on the diamond for a three-game conference series this weekend.
The series will begin on Friday, March 31 at 6 PM CT, while both Saturday and Sunday's games will be played at 11 AM, respectively.
Friday night's game, which will still be considered an Oklahoma home game despite playing at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, can be seen on ESPN+ with Chad McKee, Erin Miller and Nicole Mendes on the call. Saturday and Sunday's action will be broadcasted on ESPN2 with Beth Mowins, Michele Smith and Amanda Scarborough in the booth.
Andrew Haynes will have the Longhorns' radio broadcast on 105.3 FM throughout the entire weekend.
LEADING OFF
- This weekend will mark the first time since March 21-23, 2015 that the previous season's Women's College World Series (WCWS) finalists met the following season as conference opponents.
- Florida and Alabama met during the Championship Series of the 2014 WCWS — with the Gators winning the national championship in two games — and then played, again, as conference opponents on Saturday, March 21 (DH) and Monday, March 23, 2015.
- The Gators won the three-game series after taking the Saturday doubleheader: 1-0 and 4-1. Alabama won the series finale, 5-1.
- Florida and Alabama met during the Championship Series of the 2014 WCWS — with the Gators winning the national championship in two games — and then played, again, as conference opponents on Saturday, March 21 (DH) and Monday, March 23, 2015.
- Texas will be looking for its first win in Norman, Okla., since April 18, 2014, when the Longhorns won, 9-0, in six innings.
- Since the two softball programs first met in Norman on April 18, 1998, Texas is 7-21 all-time against the Sooners in Norman.
- In games played in both Norman (7-21) and Oklahoma City (4-11), the Longhorns are 11-32 all-time against the Sooners.
- Since the two softball programs first met in Norman on April 18, 1998, Texas is 7-21 all-time against the Sooners in Norman.
- Leighann Goode will enter Friday night's game as the nation's leader in hits (52) among freshmen Division I student-athletes.
- Under fifth-year head coach Mike White, Leighann Goode's 52 hits are the second most by a Texas softball true freshman behind Mia Scott's 77 during the 2022 campaign.
- 2023: Leighann Goode, 52 hits in 126 plate appearances in 36 games
- 2022: Mia Scott, 77 hits in 204 plate appearances in 64 games
- Texas' career hit leader, Janae Jefferson, had 74 hits in 189 plate appearances in 59 games as a true freshman during the 2018 season.
- Under fifth-year head coach Mike White, Leighann Goode's 52 hits are the second most by a Texas softball true freshman behind Mia Scott's 77 during the 2022 campaign.
- This weekend's three-game series will mark the first time the two softball programs have faced off while both teams are ranked in the top 10 during the regular season since April 16-18, 2021.
- That weekend, Oklahoma was ranked No. 1 while Texas came in as No. 7.
- Oklahoma (#1, .391) and Texas (#2, .351) will enter this weekend's three-game series in Oklahoma ranked as the top two offenses — in terms of team batting average — in the Big 12 Conference and first and fourth, respectively, nationally.
- Additionally, the two programs are ranked first (Oklahoma, 1.00) and third (Texas, 1.89) in the league in team earned run average.
FOLLOW US
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasSoftball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TexasLonghorns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
