Big 12 softball power rankings: New No. 1 as Texas continues building momentum

A series win over Oklahoma last week wasn’t quite enough to lift Texas into the top spot in the Big 12 softball power rankings.

But the Longhorns have kept their momentum from that series rolling right along with a win last Wednesday over then-ranked Texas State and a three-game sweep of Baylor.

While Texas (35-6, 14-4 Big 12) remains a game back of the Sooners for the Big 12 lead, the Longhorns’ strong week coupled with OU’s stunning 9-4 home loss to BYU on Friday and Duke’s mid-week loss to Campbell elevated the Longhorns into the top spot in the national polls, taking over for the Sooners in the USA Today/NFCA coaches’ poll.

While OU has uncharacteristically shown some cracks, the Sooners remain as the top hitting team in the conference (.379 batting average, No. 1 nationally), top pitching team (1.61 ERA, No. 4) and top fielding team (.984 fielding percentage, No. 1).

The Longhorns are right on their heels, hitting .369 (second-best in the country), posting a 1.69 ERA (sixth).

Texas has a potentially tough matchup this weekend when it travels to face Kansas.

Here’s a look at this week’s Big 12 softball power rankings:

More: Oklahoma softball run-rules Tulsa as Kierston Deal pitches no-hitter for Sooners

1. Texas

Last week: 2

Record: 35-6, 14-4 Big 12*

Reese Atwood needs just six RBIs to set a program single-season record, currently held by Lindsey Stephens and Taylor Thom with 66. She is also just six home runs away from breaking Taylor Hoagland’s single-season program record of 18.

2. Oklahoma

Last week: 1

Record: 39-4, 15-3 Big 12*

OU's Alyssa Brito and Tiare Jennings are tied for the Big 12 lead in slugging percentage at .895, good for No. 9 nationally. The Sooners' .690 slugging percentage is second-best nationally behind only Miami (Ohio) at .750.

3. Oklahoma State

Last week: 3

Record: 35-8, 13-5 Big 12*

Lexi Kilfoyl leads the Big 12 in ERA and is No. 4 nationally with a 1.00 ERA. Kilfoyl has held opposing batters to a .156 batting average and struck out 97, both second-best in the league. Kilfoyl’s 16 wins are three more than any other pitcher in the Big 12.

More: What can Oklahoma State softball do to bounce back from rough weekend at Iowa State?

4. Kansas

Last week: 4

Record: 26-14-1, 11-7 Big 12*

The Jayhawks left seven runners on base in each of the three games of their series at Texas Tech, where Kansas dropped two of three. Lyric Moore went 4 for 5 with two runs and five RBIs in the Jayhawks’ 15-12 eight-inning win in the middle game of the series.

5. UCF

Last week: 5

Record: 25-15, 10-8 Big 12*

The Knights outscored Houston 27-2 in a three-game sweep of the Cougars. UCF has won nine consecutive games, the longest active winning streak among major conference teams. The Knights have outscored opponents 73-17 during their winning streak.

6. Texas Tech

Last week: 7

Record: 26-13, 6-9 Big 12*

The Red Raiders jump a spot thanks to a series win over Kansas at home. Texas Tech jumped on top in each of the three games of the series, scoring in the first inning each time. The Red Raiders completed the series win with a 4-2 win Sunday behind Ranci Willis’ first-career complete game.

7. Baylor

Last week: 6

Record: 22-18, 5-13 Big 12*

The Bears’ Shaylon Govan leads the nation with a .595 on-base percentage, better than any other qualified hitter in the country by nearly 20 points.

8. BYU

Last week: 8

Record: 23-19, 5-13 Big 12*

The Cougars pulled off a massive feat in Friday’s 9-4 victory over OU, becoming the first team to win a conference road game in Norman since 2017 and the first team to beat the Sooners by five or more funs since Feb. 22, 2020, and the first team to do it in Norman since an 8-0 Baylor win over OU in April 2015.

More: Relive OU softball's run to three straight WCWS titles with our 'Crimson Empire' book

9. Iowa State

Last week: 10

Record: 16-22, 5-10 Big 12*

The Cyclones pulled off the series upset of the season in the Big 12 — and perhaps nationally — by stunning Oklahoma State in the first two games of their series. It was the highest-ranked series win in program history. Camille Marin hit a three-run homer, her first long ball of the season, to give Iowa State a 5-2 walk-off win in Saturday’s second game of the series and clinch the series after a 2-0 win the day before.

10. Houston

Last week: 9

Record: 23-20, 3-15 Big 12*

The Cougars have dropped seven consecutive conference games, by far the longest active losing streak in Big 12 play. Breen Cantu and Turiya Coleman have combined for 79 RBIs, making them one of the top RBI duos in the conference.

*Records through Tuesday

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Big 12 softball power rankings: New No. 1 as Texas continues building momentum