OU-Texas the softball series everybody wants to see, both teams living up to expectations
There’s just something about OU and Texas when it comes to softball. The 2025 edition is no different.
A battle of top-five teams, a chance to position yourself better for a regular season SEC championship.
As soon as Love’s Field was opened in Norman last season, everybody was wondering when Texas would be coming to OU’s new home. It wasn’t 2024, as OU dropped two of three in Austin. And you had to wait until the final home series of the season, but guess what? We’re here.
“I think they’re pretty talented. It shows,” senior Cydney Sanders said. “They’ve been winning a lot the past three years and I think (Teagan) Kavan is a really awesome pitcher. She’s doing her thing. I think it’s going to be a pretty good matchup for us to see where we are as a team with their good pitching and our hitting to see where we’re at.
“And it’s going to be a test of what we learned from the previous games that we’ve had. So it’s going to be a cool sight to see. I’m very excited for it.”
OU and Texas have been around the top five the entire season, with the Longhorns spending some time at the No. 1 spot. It’s a lot of familiar names. If OU is a team of newcomers and freshmen, the Longhorns are the veterans.
You know them – Teagan Kavan, Mia Scott, Reese Atwood, Katie Stewart, etc. This season has been a lot of getting to know your opponent for head coach Patty Gasso and company. Not this weekend.
This three-game set at Love’s Field? Oh yea, they know each other. OU got the best of Texas, in the end, defeating the Longhorns in the Big 12 championship and, of course, sweeping No. 1-ranked Texas in the Women’s College World Series championship series.
It’s Mike White, Gasso, this is what softball is all about. And that’s something Gasso wants to make sure she is getting across to her team.
“I think I need to share more,” Gasso told SoonerScoop. “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.”
There isn’t a weakness with Texas. Expected to be one of the top teams, the Horns have lived up to that billing.
But there’s a mental hurdle, and it’s the team that resides in Norman. OU has simply had Texas’ number when it has mattered most.
Does Texas change that narrative this weekend?
“Power. They’ve got power. Big hitters,” Gasso said. “They’ve got speed. 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.”
Game 1 is 5 p.m. Friday on ESPNU. Game 2 moves to ESPN2 at 11 a.m. Saturday, and the final game is 1 p.m. Sunday on ESPN2.
The national stage for two of the best programs. As it should be.
“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.”
Final word
“I am so proud of what these guys have done thus far. 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 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.” – Gasso on the season so far
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