No. 9 OU In Wichita For Midweek Matchup With Shockers

No. 9/9 Oklahoma (9-4) takes part in its first midweek game of the year in Wichita, Kan., to face the Shockers Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

The Sooners are 2-0 in road games this year, winning a pair of extra-inning contests at Houston on Feb. 18.

The game will be streaming online on ESPN3.com and can also be heard on KEBC 1560 in Norman or online via the link above. 

Facing Wichita State

Oklahoma has a 46-7 (.868) all-time advantage over Wichita State, including a 12-4 (.750) mark in Wichita. Since OU head coach Patty Gasso arrived in 1995 the Sooners own a perfect 33-0 record against the Shockers. That’s the highest win total without a loss against a single opponent for Gasso.

Among schools its faced at least 30 times, Oklahoma’s .868 win percentage over Wichita State ranks second behind a .875 mark against Texas Tech.

OU’s 33-game winning streak in the series is its longest active streak against one opponent. In fact, Oklahoma has held Wichita State to two runs or fewer in all 33 of those contests.

The schools have met each year since 2012, with OU going 9-0 over WSU in that span by a score of 78-8. 

Oklahoma’s last loss in the series came in Wichita on March 21, 1990, when it lost a doubleheader. Since then, the Sooners have won six straight games in Wichita.

Wichita State has eight Oklahomans on its roster: McKenzie Adams from Broken Arrow, Laurie Derrico from Sterling, Paige Luellen and Macklin Hitz from Tulsa (Jenks HS), Morgan Palmer from McLoud (Seminole State), Madison Perrigan from Mustang, Asea Weber from Mannford (Oklahoma State) and Mackenzie Wright from Midwest City (Carl Albert HS).

Last Season vs. the Shockers

The Sooners and Shockers met twice a season ago, both in Norman. During the regular season, OU run-ruled WSU, 10-1 in five innings on April 6. The teams then met again in the NCAA Regional on May 20 with Oklahoma winning 7-2. 

In the regular season meeting, OU scored seven of its 10 runs over the first two innings. Ten different Sooners had a hit, and the team’s first five hitters in the lineup combined to go 9-13 (.692) at the plate with six runs and nine RBI. Sydney Romero, Shay Knighten and Caleigh Clifton all had two hits, while Paige Parker limited the Shockers to just two hits and no runs over 4.0 innings. She struck out four and walked one.

Oklahoma used a fast start again in the Regional, scoring five runs in the first and never looking back. Nicole Pendley hit a grand slam, Fale Aviu was 2-3 and Lea Wodach and Romero each drove in a run. Parker struck out nine and allowed two runs on five hits and two walks, though only one of those runs was earned.

Sooners Look to Continue Road Winning Streak

Dating back to April 8 of last season, the Sooners have won 12 straight road games. That's the fourth longest road winning streak in program history and four wins off the school record.

Quick Hits

Shay Knighten leads OU with a .429 average in road games this year ... Paige Parker sees a team-high 5.9 pitches per plate appearance ... the team has doubled in nine straight games and has 18 overall during that stretch ... OU is hitting .304 or better in the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th innings but .245 or worse in the 2nd, 4th and 5th innings ... conversely, the pitching staff has an ERA of 2.15 or better in the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th innings, but higher than 3.18 in the 2nd, 6th and 7th innings ... the pitching staff has struck out at least seven batters in four of the last five games

OU Continues Remarkable Run in National Polls

After going 3-2 last week, OU slipped from No. 4 in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Coaches Poll to No. 9 and dropped from No. 5 to No. 9 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25.

Oklahoma is the only program to be ranked every week of the NFCA poll, 325 straight polls.

Tough Schedule faces Sooners in 2017

Sixteen opponents that reached the 2016 NCAA Softball Tournament, including WCWS participants Auburn and UCLA, highlight Oklahoma’s 2017 schedule.

Seven opponents are currently ranked in at least one poll, including four in the top 10: No. 2/3 (NFCA/USA) Auburn, No. 6/6 Arizona, No. 7/8 UCLA, No. 8/7 Washington, No. 15/15 Tennessee, No. 22/22 Baylor and No. 25/23 Ole Miss. Arkansas, BYU, Notre Dame, Texas and Wichita State are all receiving votes in at least one of the polls.