Previewing (What Could be the Final) Bedlam in Stillwater

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State meet in Stillwater this weekend to close the regular season.

The series is one that has been circled on the calendars of softball fans and pundits alike since the preseason. Bedlam on the softball diamond has delivered some instant classics over the last few years, but this weekend begins with a different tale, at least on paper, than the one that was expected.

While Oklahoma is cruising along through their season, currently riding a 38-game winning streak and with just one loss on the year, Oklahoma State is in a bit of a tailspin, winners of just two of their last nine games.

What’s more, Oklahoma has already clinched the Big 12 title outright, so the only thing on the line this weekend is the victor’s pride in a bitter rivalry. Here’s a preview of what the weekend has in store.

Could this be it?

With Oklahoma’s move to the SEC now official for the summer of 2024, the future of this rivalry is certainly in jeopardy.

What’s for sure is that this is the last time the teams will meet in Stillwater with both teams as members of the Big 12. The teams are expected to play each other in Norman as part of conference play in 2024, but after that, what’s less sure is whether or not the teams will meet again at all.

Oklahoma State coach Kenny Gajewski has said he wants to continue the series even after Oklahoma joins the SEC next summer; Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso has said she is not opposed to continuing to play, but hasn’t thought that far in advance at this point.

Since Gajewski arrived in Stillwater, the Cowgirls have beaten the juggernaut Sooners twice – once during the regular season in 2021, then again in the Big 12 tournament championship game last year. The Sooners have won 29 of their last 31 against OSU, dating back to 2011.

Oklahoma’s Winning Streak

Oklahoma started the 2023 season 8-0 before falling to Baylor in a non-conference matchup in February. Since then, the Sooners have not lost.

The active 38-game winning streak is the third-longest in OU program history and is tied as the fifth-longest in NCAA history.

In addition, the Sooners have another streak of their own going, having won every Big 12 series since 2011. That’s 53 straight conference series wins, a number that includes 45 series sweeps.

Oklahoma State’s Struggles

Anyone who believes that Oklahoma State’s recent struggles make them less of a quality team is incorrect, but the Cowgirls certainly have struggled over the last few weeks.

Since losing the series finale to Iowa State at home, the Cowgirls were swept by Texas and won 2 out of 3 games against Texas Tech in Lubbock. They’ve also lost to Wichita State and North Texas in midweek games.

During that same 9-game stretch, five of the seven losses have come by two runs or fewer and four were in extra innings. The Cowgirls run-ruled Texas Tech in the opening and final games of their conference series, bookending an extra-innings loss to the Red Raiders.

OSU entered that Iowa State series finale with a 39-3 record on the year and now sit at 41-10.

Who to Watch

Oklahoma State’s Rachel Becker has made some history of her own this season, reaching base safely in 50 of the Cowgirls’ 51 games to this point. Becker started the season on a 49-game on-base streak before posting her first 0-fer of the year in the series finale against Texas Tech. Since transferring from Purdue, Becker has been stellar atop the Cowgirl lineup, presently boasting a .459 batting average with 18 doubles, 51 runs scored, and 23 RBIs.

Nicole May sometimes is forgotten behind the name recognition of Jordy Bahl and Alex Storako, but May leads the Sooners with a 0.42 ERA, is tied for the team lead with 15 wins, and checks in with 111 strikeouts in 83 innings of work. She’s allowed just five earned runs and four home runs on the year – both are team lows. The Sooners have pretty evenly split their workload in the circle between their 3-headed pitching “monster”, and May also leads with a .140 opponent’s batting average.

What’s at Stake

For Oklahoma, the #1 seed in the NCAA tournament is guaranteed. The Sooners are the prohibitive favorites to win their 3rd-consecutive Women’s College World Series title. Bedlam is always a raucous environment, and this time, it’s a raucous environment on the road for the Sooners. Not much seems to phase this OU team, but playing in a hostile environment is never a bad learning experience for even the best of teams.

On Oklahoma State’s side of things, far more is in play. The Cowgirls’ recent struggles have not dropped them very far in the RPI and even suffering a series sweep this weekend would likely follow suit. Trending downward at the wrong time, though, could affect the Cowgirls’ postseason seeding in the committee room next weekend, while even just one win during Bedlam would go a long way in a positive direction.

How to Watch

Friday’s series opener and Saturday’s game will both be televised.

On Friday, the 6 pm primetime matchup will air on ESPN2; on Saturday, a late-afternoon 4 pm face-off will broadcast on ESPN. ESPN’s “A-crew” will be in Stillwater for the pair of telecasts, with Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, and Amanda Scarborough calling the action.

Sunday’s series finale will be on ESPN+.

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