The Oklahoma Sooners will open their series with Mississippi State on Friday, hoping to make it to the Women’s College World Series for the 10th consecutive time. The Sooners are one of the favorites to win it all, but they’ll have to contend with a really good pitching staff from Starkville.
Oklahoma’s lineup is able to contend with the best in softball, but Mississippi State has a pair of pitchers that can make life difficult for the Sooners. But Softball America’s biggest question ahead of the Norman Super Regional focuses on Mississippi State’s offense.
“Does Mississippi State have the firepower to score on Oklahoma?,” Brady Vernon asks.
“Oklahoma’s pitching has been the weakest of its three facets, but it hasn’t been so glaring a weakness that it can’t handle a lower-tier offense,” Vernon writes. “The Sooners also allowed only one run in three games in the Norman Regional against three solid offenses in Kansas, Michigan, and Binghamton. Oklahoma’s defense won’t give the Bulldogs any freebies either.”
Oklahoma’s pitching really stepped up in the regional, allowing just six hits during the weekend. If they can continue to pitch like that against Mississippi State, the Sooners will be in good shape.
The Sooners’ lineup is one of the best in softball, averaging 10.1 runs per game this season. They averaged 9.3 runs per game in the regional sweep and look locked in to start the NCAA tournament. It’s a team that can put runs on the board in a hurry, but the Bulldogs have the arms to slow OU down.
Oklahoma vs. Mississippi State is slated for first pitch at 12 p.m. CT in Norman, Oklahoma.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Can Oklahoma keep Mississippi State bats in check?