After a month of nonconference play, the 2025 college softball season is shifting focus to the conference standings as league play gets started this weekend.
The Big 12, which now houses a total of 11 softball programs, will have 10 teams in action every weekend, with one team playing out-of-conference games in a pseudo-bye week.
This week, the Utah Utes will have the weekend off from Big 12 play, and instead will face Boise State in a double-header and also take on Washington.
Meanwhile, the rest of the league kicks off the action with some very intriguing matchups. Let’s start with the big one in Lubbock, Texas.
#13 Oklahoma State (14-4) at #15 Texas Tech (18-6)
Location: Rocky Johnson Field | Lubbock, Texas
Game 1: Friday, March 7 | 6 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 2: Saturday, March 8 | 2 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 3: Sunday, March 9 | Noon CT (ESPN+)
These two teams represent the preseason favorites to win the Big 12 in 2025 and are currently the second and third-highest-ranked teams in the league. Oklahoma State carries a 10-game winning streak into their midweek contest against North Texas, and will enter this series as one of the most battle-test teams in America. After starting out 4-4, the Cowgirls are 14-4 and looking every bit like the preseason contender they were touted to be.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech comes into the week after going 3-3 last week, with losses to North Texas and Idaho State. The Red Raiders did follow those losses up with rebound wins over Princeton, Texas State, and a 7-2 win over No. 4 Texas A&M, but dropped their final game of the weekend to the Aggies.
NiJaree Canady vs. Ruby Meylan will be must-see TV, and there’s a good chance that these two will have to face off again at the Big 12 Tournament in a couple of months.
UCF (17-7-1) at #7 Arizona (21-2)
Location: Hillenbrand Stadium | Tucson, Arizona
Game 1: Friday, March 7 | 7 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 2: Saturday, March 8 | 5 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 3: Sunday, March 9 | Noon CT (ESPN+)
It won’t have the attention of the national media like Oklahoma State-Texas Tech, but the three-game series in Tuscon might be just as important to the Big 12 race as the one up in Lubbock. Arizona is playing as well as anyone and is the best team on paper not named Oklahoma, Texas, or Florida.
The Wildcats have been the Big 12’s hottest offense so far, leading the conference in batting average (.397), slugging (.638), home runs (33), scoring (8.87), and on-base percentage (.473).
UCF, on the other hand, has had some up and downs but can play with the best teams in the conference if their pitching success remains intact. Kaitlyn Felton (0.58 ERA) leads one of the best staffs in the Big 12 into this weekend, and should give the Knights a chance to make things interesting.
Kansas (10-7) at Baylor (10-10)
Location: Getterman Stadium | Waco, Texas
Game 1: Friday, March 7 | 6:30 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 2: Saturday, March 8 | 2 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 3: Sunday, March 9 | Noon CT (ESPN+)
Baylor has struggled to get things going out of the gate, and they’d better get things rolling if they want to be playing in the postseason.
If not now, when? This week, they’ll get a Jayhawks team that has been through some tough weekends already. Can the Bears win themselves a series and get back above .500? Or will they head into a series against Texas Tech with a losing record in Big 12 play?
Other Series (Thur, Mar. 6 – Sun, Mar. 9)
BYU (14-4) at Arizona State (15-6)
Game 1: Thursday, March 6 | 7 pm MST
Game 2: Friday, March 7 | 7 pm MST
Game 3: Saturday, March 8 | 2 pm MST
Iowa State (9-9) at Houston (14-5)
Game 1: Friday, March 7 | 6 pm CT
Game 2: Saturday, March 8 | 2 pm CT
Game 3: Sunday, March 9 | Noon CT
