OU softball coach Patty Gasso nearing another milestone as Sooners enter Texas Tech series
The OU softball team looks to extend its six-game winning streak when the Sooners travel to Lubbock, Texas, for a three-game series at Texas Tech.
The series begins at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by a 1 p.m. game Saturday and noon game Sunday. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.
“I’m not ready to get back on the road,” Sooners coach Patty Gasso said. “It’s nice to be home for a while. Texas Tech is tough. They’ve got a very nice record. They swing. And it’s a tough place to play.”
Here are three things to know before the Sooners ahead of the series in Lubbock:
Big 12 softball power rankings: Cydney Sanders has OU rolling again, back in top spot
Patty Gasso closing in on yet another milestone
With a three-game sweep over the Red Raiders, Gasso would become the first coach in Big 12 history with 400 career wins in the conference.
Gasso needs 20 more wins to reach the 1,500 career mark.
The Sooners have won 11 consecutive conference titles and are 124-4 in Big 12 play since the start of the 2016 season.
OU hasn’t lost a conference series since 2011.
Gasso isn’t the only Sooner chasing a significant mark.
Tiare Jennings needs two more doubles to tie Sydney Romero for more in program history. Jennings is also one hit from tying Destinee Martinez for seventh on OU’s career list with 268.
More: Relive OU softball's run to three straight WCWS titles with our 'Crimson Empire' book
Familiar faces in Lubbock
Texas Tech coach Craig Snider is part of the Patty Gasso coaching tree, having served as a graduate assistant under Gasso in 2005-06.
Snider is in his second season at the helm in Lubbock and has injected life into the program, entering this weekend with a 52-27 record under Snider.
Snider isn’t the only familiar face for the Sooners on the other side this weekend.
Senior pitcher Olivia Rains spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at OU, including an appearance in the 2021 Women’s College World Series Championship Series against Florida State.
The Pryor native is 6-0 with a 4.34 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 40 ⅓ innings this season.
More: OU softball sweeps Tarleton State as Cydney Sanders continues offensive tear for Sooners
Kelly Maxwell looking to continue surge
After a pair of rough outings against Liberty and Louisiana, Oklahoma State transfer Kelly Maxwell appears to be settling in.
Over her last two outings, Maxwell has thrown a combined 12 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits with 15 strikeouts.
She’s coming off a no-hitter against Tarleton State.
“It’s feeling good,” Maxwell said. “I feel like I’ve worked really hard with Coach (Jen) Rocha lately. I’m really trying to nail down her philosophy and I think it’s kind of showing. It’s getting easy, kind of learning what she’s taught. So it’s just cool to see kind of everything fall into place.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso nearing milestone vs Texas Tech