OU Softball: Things to watch vs. Auburn

The conference slate is here for Oklahoma.

The Sooners open SEC play this weekend, hosting a three-game series against Auburn. The Tigers (19-7, 2-1 SEC) kicked off conference play last weekend, notching a series win against Kentucky.

The Sooners (25-2) have won 14 consecutive games, including 11 by run rule. But this is when the schedule gets tougher, and this is where they find out how they stack up against the SEC.

Here’s an overview of Auburn and two big questions heading into the weekend:

Series Schedule

• Friday: 6:30 p.m. CT (SECN+)
• Saturday: 2 p.m. CT (SECN+)
• Sunday: 12 p.m. CT (SECN)

Auburn overview

Scoring offense: 7.62 runs per game (T-19th nationally)

Earned run average: 3.96 (101st nationally)

Home runs: 38 (T-20th nationally)

On-base percentage: .442 (24th nationally)

Batting average: 3.41 (33rd nationally)

Keys to the Matchup

— The pitching staff

It’s been an up-and-down start for the pitching staff. The Sooners rank 36th in ERA (2.85) with an opponent batting average .223.

There’s certainly been some good moments. Audrey Lowry has established herself as the ace, logging a 1.63 ERA while pitching 51.2 of the team’s 150 innings.

But this will be a big test this weekend. The Tigers have been an above-average offense all season, and they scored 15 runs across the three games against Kentucky. Alyssa Hastings (.476 BA) and Kylie Shaw (.438 BA) have been two of the better hitters in the SEC.

How do the Sooners manage the staff?

Lowry and Miali Guachino (2.24 ERA, team-high 44 strikeouts) have separated themselves from the pack. But how much does interim coach Karlie Keeney lean on them?

Is there a third pitcher the Sooners trust? Allyssa Parker (2.67 ERA) has had good moments recently, but it’s a tough spot for a true freshman. Can Berzon work her way into the rotation? Is there any chance that Kierston Deal or Berkley Zache see opportunities?

This will be a big glimpse into what the Sooners think of their pitching staff.

— Does the power hitting continue?

The Sooners have hit home runs at a historic pace this season.

They’ve hit 108 home runs this season, which leads the country. They’ve hit nearly 40 more than the next closest team. They also reached 100 home runs faster than any team in softball history.

It’s been a team effort. Every player who has logged an at-bat — excluding Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, who is out for the season — has hit at least four home runs. True freshman Kendall Wells leads the team with 19. Four different players have hit 10 or more.

The power hitting has been so elite, the Sooners haven’t had to worry about finding other ways to score. But can they keep that up against Auburn?

The Tigers don’t boast an elite pitching staff. However, they’ve given up 22 home runs this season — one fewer home run than OU has allowed.

Patty Gasso is confident the Sooners can score in a variety of ways. They just haven’t had to show it this season. But this will be a test to see if the pace of the elite power hitting keeps up when SEC play begins, or if the Sooners will have to find other ways to manufacture runs.