All Sooners

Oklahoma Softball: OU Closing in on More Records After Dominant Weekend in Lubbock

OU is off to the best start in Division I softball history, and the Sooners have more chances to make history on the horizon.

Ross Lovelace

The No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners are off to one of the most dominant starts in sports history.

The Sooners defeated Texas Tech 21-0 on Sunday, completing a 3-0 series sweep over the Red Raiders. With the win, Oklahoma now holds the record for the best start to a season in Division I softball history, sitting at a perfect 36-0.

The Sooners broke the record long held by the 1999 UCLA Bruins, who got off to a 35-0 start before dropping a contest.

But Patty Gasso’s squad is showing no signs of slowing down.

Oklahoma is rapidly closing in on the all-time longest win streak in Division I softball.

Last season, the Sooners came close to breaking the record of 47 straight wins set by Arizona in 1996-97. OU won 40 games in a row before falling to Georgia last year.

Adding OU’s back-to-back wins over Florida State from last year’s Women’s College World Series, the current Sooner streak now sits at 38 games.

If Oklahoma can emerge from next weekend’s series against Texas unbeaten, the Sooners will have a real shot at breaking Arizona’s streak.

After the three-game set against the Longhorns, Oklahoma would have to win at North Texas, sweep Iowa State in Norman and win at Kansas City and a pair of contests against Kansas to set the new mark at 48 games.

With more history in sight, Oklahoma hit its stride this weekend in Lubbock.

Texas Tech did not score a single run in three games, and the Sooners won by a combined score of 43-0 in just 15 innings.

OU notched three more run rules against the Red Raiders, as 30 of the Sooners’ 36 wins have come via run rule.

Last year, Oklahoma dominated college softball, finishing 56-4 and winning the National Championship.

Now as the Sooners look to defend their crown, Gasso points to the pitching staff as the biggest area of improvement so far in 2022.

In the dominant 2021 season, OU pitchers combined for a 2.49 earned run average. That mark was good enough for No. 17 in the country, and was well behind Michigan's team ERA of 1.23 that led the nation.

This year, OU's pitching staff has a combined 0.60 ERA, and opposing hitters have a batting average just .133.

All three of Oklahoma's starting pitchers rank inside the top 10 in the country in ERA. Hope Trautwein ranks No. 1 in the nation with a 0.13 ERA, Jordy Bahl ranks seventh and Nicole May checks in at No. 9.

The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 is large for collective team ERA, too. UCLA and Florida State are closest to the Sooners at 1.16 and 1.26 average ERAs, respectively.

It's unlikely the Sooners will set any team ERA records this year, as the 1984 UCLA Bruins hold the best mark all time with a 0.18 ERA set back in 1984.

Oklahoma’s offense has been explosive yet again as well in 2022.

OU skied 161 homers last season to set a new record, and the Sooners are tracking on another historic pace in 2022.

Gasso’s team blasted 2.68 home runs per game last year, and are ahead of that mark after blowing past Texas Tech this past weekend.

Oklahoma has hit 100 home runs through 36 games, an eye-popping 2.77 bombs per contest.

But up next, the Sooners’ next test will come against rival Texas (30-10). The first matchup between the Longhorns and the Sooners is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday in Austin. 

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Experience Ross is a young, up-and-coming sports reporter who has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners over the past six years. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and has helped out with the All Sooners podcast whenever he gets the chance. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross worked for self-starter blogs and latched onto Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and was hired by All Sooners. Ross landed an internship with Sports Illustrated's Inside the Thunder and has since become a full-time contributor. One day, Ross hopes to work in the NBA. Work History Education Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Personal Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC, OK. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross is engaged to be married at the end of the year. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

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