After taking their first SEC series of the year, winning two out of their three matchups against a solid Kentucky team last weekend, the Auburn Tigers softball team will head up to Norman, Okla., this weekend to take on their toughest opponent of the season so far, the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners.
The Tigers will be riding high heading into a tough road matchup, coming in after back-to-back wins in their matchup with the Wildcats last weekend, the second win coming off an electric walk-off double from shortstop Alyssa Hasting in the 13th inning.
The Oklahoma Sooners have been a powerhouse in softball for nearly a decade, winning six out of the last 10 Women’s College World Series, and this year they have continued their dominance so far.
The Sooners currently carry a 25-2 record heading into their matchup with the Tigers this weekend, with their only losses coming on opening day to Arizona and a major upset to Long Beach State three weeks ago. In their 14 games since that surprising loss, the Sooners have been on an absolute tear, securing 12 run-rule victories, but Auburn will be the team’s first taste of SEC softball this season.
Oklahoma’s offense has been its calling card this season; they lead the SEC in nearly every batting category. The most jarring numbers, however, come from the team’s otherworldly ability to score runs.
The Sooners lead the conference in home runs with 108, with Florida achieving the second-highest mark with 60. Oklahoma has also put up nearly 100 more runs than any other team in the SEC so far, which does not bode well for an Auburn team that currently holds the highest ERA in the conference this season.
For Auburn to have any chance of defeating the Sooners, they will need to see several offensive explosions happen in the series. Luckily for them, Oklahoma’s pitching has shown signs of weakness thus far into the season. They sit dead in the middle of the SEC for ERA, but they have struggled to put batters away, only totaling 130 strikeouts this season, the fourth worst mark in the SEC.
Auburn will need to be on the lookout for the Sooners’ greatest power bat, catcher Kendall Wells. The freshman currently leads the SEC in home runs with 19 and sits second in the conference in slugging percentage.
Another freshman who has been impressive offensively is outfielder Kai Minor, whose .521 batting average ranks as the second-best mark in the SEC.
In a road series against such a tough opponent, even taking just one game from the weekend could be seen as a massive win for the Tigers. Oklahoma is likely going to put up a good amount of runs, but the big question from this series will be whether Auburn’s offense has the ability to keep up with big-time offensive squads such as the Sooners.
After this weekend, the Tigers will have a break from SEC play to regroup before facing Missouri back at Jane B. Moore Field.
First pitch Friday night is set for 6:30 p.m. CST.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Jonathan is a freshman majoring in industrial and systems engineering. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
