Skip to main content
oklahoma logo

OU softball clinches SEC regular season championship... before even taking the field

Bob Przybyloby:Bob Przybylo•05/02/25•

BPrzybylo

Ella Parker10
OU sophomore Ella Parker. (Sarah Phipps - Imagn Images)

OU softball still has to play Florida on Friday evening, but the Sooners were given some great news.

Your 2025 SEC regular season champions are the Sooners… even before taking the field. Thanks to Tennessee taking down Texas A&M in the afternoon, the OU magic number is down to zero.

First season in the SEC for head coach Patty Gasso and company and first SEC regular season championship.

Funny enough, it was former OU catcher Sophia Nugent helping the cause. The Tennessee star hit two home runs and drove in three in the Vols’ 5-1 victory against the Aggies.

OU still plays Florida on Friday and Saturday, but the Sooners are now guaranteed the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament next week in Athens, Ga., meaning OU will be the late game Thursday evening.

OU is 43-5 overall and 17-5 in the SEC. The Sooners were reeling after losing back-to-back series a month ago and at 10-5 in the conference.

But OU has found its groove in a huge way. Back-to-back sweeps of Mississippi State and Texas put the Sooners in the driver’s seat to claim the title.

It was Sam Landry going nine innings and 144 pitches to get the 6-5 victory in nine innings in Gainesville on Thursday. You would expect Kierston Deal to get the ball this evening.

Sophomores Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering each hit a home run. And it was Abby Dayton coming up huge, with the game-winning RBI single in the ninth. OU had 15 hits and has now won seven straight conference games to separate itself from the rest of the pack.

OU entered the weekend No. 3 in the RPI, with Texas A&M No. 1 and Florida No. 2. The Sooners are positioning themselves to being the No. 1 overall seed when the postseason is announced in two weeks.

You may also like