NORMAN — Not only does top-ranked Oklahoma host its first home game of the season, fans will get to see the undefeated Sooners a few hours earlier than they expected.
Weather concerns altered the weekend schedule, and OU (15-0) will now open the homestand at 3:15 today against Houston (8-5). The Sooners will follow that up with a double-header beginning at 1:30 p.m. Saturday against former conference rival and 25th-ranked Nebraska (11-4) before meeting Houston again at noon on Sunday.
All games will be played at Marita Hynes Field on campus rather than split between Norman and Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
The weekend is the Sooners’ first opportunity to play at home after three weeks of games on the west coast. Of course, being that far from campus hasn’t mattered. The Sooners have steamrolled their competition so far, and are now a near-unanimous No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Softball poll,
“As a team, I think we’re just coming together and doing what we love,” senior outfielder Brianna Turang said. “We’re excited to play in front of our fans.”
Also on the line will be OU’s streak of holding ranked opponents scoreless. The Sooners are 7-0 against ranked opponents this year, and have outscored them 47-0. The burden to continue that streak likely will fall to both Keilani Ricketts and Michelle Gascoigne when the 25th-ranked Huskers come to Norman for Saturday’s doubleheader.
After 15 games on the road to start the season, eight of OU’s next 10 will come at home. After this weekend’s slate, the Sooners travel to Wichita State for a doubleheader on Wednesday before hosting Northern Colorado and Drake for a pair of games each next weekend.
Corbin Hosler
Follow me @Chosler88
chosler@normantranscript.com
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