NORMAN — For the 16th consecutive season, Oklahoma softball is headed to the super regional round of the NCAA softball tournament.
The Sooners will meet Mississippi State at Love’s Field. Play will begin at noon Friday.
OU swept the Norman Regional, outscoring opponents 28-1. The Bulldogs swept the Eugene Regional, defeating Saint Mary’s twice and Oregon once.
Here’s what to know ahead of the Sooners-Mississippi State Super Regional bout:
OU vs Mississippi State will be a Samantha Ricketts homecoming
Mississippi State coach Samantha Ricketts starred at Oklahoma during her playing days.
At the conclusion of her four-year Sooners career in 2009, she was the record holder with 48 career home runs and 239 RBIs. Ricketts was a four-time All-Big 12 first team selection and a two-time All-American.
Her sister, Keilani, also starred at OU.
Samantha made her return to Norman last season when the Bulldogs traveled to face the Sooners during SEC play. OU swept Mississippi State.
The former Sooner, who started her coaching career as an OU graduate assistant under Patty Gasso, has positioned the Bulldogs as a top-25 program in the sport and as a WCWS contender as they rolled into supers.
OU softball pitching staff ‘really comfortable’
Patty Gasso doesn’t care about the outside opinions surrounding her pitching staff this season.
She’s seen her staff be put through the wringer trying to get OU’s hitters out on a daily basis during practice. It’s all about their mindsets during the postseason.
“As long as their mindset stays like, ‘OK, I missed that one, but I’m coming back to the next,’ and not just let everything just take them down,” Gasso said. “That’s been the change. It’s not the pitches. They have quality pitches. It’s the mindset, and that has changed. I can see that change.”
The Sooners’ pitchers allowed only six hits across three NCAA Regional games. Audrey Lowry allowed just one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts and zero walks in 4 ⅔ innings in the regional final.
OU’s best pitcher all season has made it a goal to be strong but smart in the circle as the Sooners aim to get back to the Women’s College World Series.
“I was really working with Coach Rocha one-on-one and talking to her and our sport psychologist breaking down the mental side of the game,” Lowry said. “That was really essential before walking into regionals. And just going out there and trusting and respecting their lineup and really going out there and having fun and staying relaxed.”
OU vs Mississippi State history, get to know Bulldogs
Mississippi State 2026 record: 41-18
Leading hitters: Kiarra Sellers leads the Bulldogs offensively. Entering Sunday, she owned a .340 batting average with a team-leading 14 home runs and 30 RBIs this season.
Leading pitcher: It’s been the Alyssa Faircloth and Peja Goold show for MSU this season. Goold boasts a 2.12 ERA in 25 starts, while Faircloth closed out Saint Mary’s on Sunday with a shutout.
OU’s all-time record vs Mississippi State: 11-0 (4-0 in Norman)
Norman Super Regional schedule
- Game 1: Noon on Friday, May 22 on ESPN2
- Game 2: Noon on Saturday, May 23 on ESPN
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 24
Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing adigital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who will OU softball host in super regional? Get to know Mississippi State