OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma isn't exactly getting a warm-up game to open the Women's College World Series. The Sooners know they'll be tested.
The main focus? Tennessee ace pitcher Karlyn Pickens.
Pickens has taken the softball world by storm with her incredible speed on the mound. Earlier this season, she set the softball record by throwing a pitch with a recorded speed of 78 miles per hour. She one-upped herself during last weekend's super regional against Nebraska, when she threw a pitch to Jordy Bahl that clocked in at 79.4 miles per hour.
Oh, and Pickens was a big reason why the Volunteers beat the Sooners twice earlier this season in Norman.
It's almost fitting that the Sooners and Volunteers will clash in the first round at 1:30 p.m. in Oklahoma City (ESPN), giving them another chance at Pickens.
"She's one of the best," OU coach Patty Gasso said of Pickens. "There's no doubt about it. We respect that.
"We respect the team that we're playing. Very, very good. They play hard."
It's a difficult way for the Sooners to start their chase for a fifth consecutive national championship.
Pickens has emerged as one of the best pitchers in softball this season, with numbers that rival Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady. She ranks second nationally in ERA (1.00) to go with only 123 hits and 29 earned runs allowed in 204 innings pitched. She's allowed an opponent average of .168.
The Sooners saw plenty of Pickens during the three-game series in Norman back in March. Pickens pitched 12.2 innings through the weekend, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs while striking out 12 OU batters.
The Sooners did find some slivers of offense, logging six hits off of Pickens in Game 1 of the series. In 40 appearances, Pickens has allowed six or more hits just six times. But Pickens' speed did enough to keep the Sooners off balance — the Sooners logged 17 hits in that series, their second fewest in any three-game stretch this season.
"Let's be honest: She just threw a 78 mile per hour pitch," OU's Kasidi Pickering said during that series. "If you saw the reaction, you have 0.31 seconds to react. Who's doing that?
"Let's be realistic. She's one of the top SEC pitchers. She's earned that right. She's good. No one else is doing what she's doing."
Fortunately for the Sooners, they've grown a lot since that series and are playing at their best heading into the WCWS. They mowed through the regional and super regional weekends, outscoring their opponents 47-5 across five games. They flexed their offensive muscle in the super regional against Alabama, logging 20 total hits and six home runs in the two games while batting .378 as a team.
The Sooners got revenge in that Alabama series after the Crimson Tide beat them last month in Tuscaloosa. Now, the Sooners have the opportunity for revenge against Pickens and the Volunteers.
It won't be easy, but they're ready for it.
"Pickens is strong and (has) long levers, and she's been good for a long time," Gasso said. "I remember her coming in here as a freshman and just wowing everybody. She's worked on her craft and gotten strong. And she's managed well by a good pitching coach.
"So it's great for our game. It's phenomenal. Some of the pitchers in this tournament have been absolutely amazing. So it's a challenge for the Sooners, without question, but that's what got us here. We love challenges."
Not an OUInsider.com premium member? Sign up today to get loads of inside information on Oklahoma football, softball, basketball, and recruiting, all for just a few dollars a month. Click HERE to get started!
Follow us on Twitter @OUInsider and on Instagram @ouinsiderofficial!
Subscribe on YouTube by clicking here for daily video content on all things Oklahoma!
