For the first time all season, the Texas softball team is heading back to Austin without a single victory chant or win to their name after a three-game series. The Longhorns were run-ruled three consecutive times by the No. 1-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

The Longhorns’ offense looked promising in the beginning of the contest as they came out swinging harder than their opponent. However, Texas left six runners stranded on base Sunday and failed to score a single run en route to a 9-0 loss in five innings. Oklahoma was simply the better team for the entirety of the weekend series.

Texas had every opportunity to turn their fortunes around in the top of the second inning, but it failed to capitalize off a bases-loaded, no-outs situation.

Junior catcher Mary Iakopo was one of the lone bright spots over the weekend for Texas as she batted 3-for-5 over three games. Iakopo continued her hot streak in the top of the second with a single to center field that ignited a Texas rally.

The next two batters that followed Iakopo, sophomore first baseman Colleen Sullivan and freshman utility player Courtney Day, managed to get on base. With momentum building and the Longhorns only needing one strong hit, redshirt junior catcher Taylor Ellsworth popped out to shortstop for the team’s first out.

With only one out and the bases loaded, the Longhorns had the chance to jump on the Sooners from the get-go and sneak away with a series finale victory. Instead, freshman shortstop Alyssa Washington and freshman utility player Brianna Cantu both struck out swinging, ending the inning.

Texas again loaded the bases in the top of the third inning with only one out, but much like the inning before, Sullivan struck out swinging and Day hit a fly ball out to center field to kill the threat.

Although Oklahoma and Texas were ranked one and two in the nation, respectively, for team batting average through Thursday, only one team showed up with offensive firepower this weekend. The Longhorns missed multiple golden opportunities to bring runners home, ultimately contributing to getting outscored 30-3 through three games.

The Texas defense wasn’t much better on Sunday. Sophomore pitcher Shea O’Leary tried her best to keep the Longhorns in the game from the mound, but the field work behind her was slow and sloppy. Texas ultimately committed three errors on the day compared to the Sooners’ zero.

O’Leary herself allowed Oklahoma seven runs and was relieved after just 2.2 innings of work. Graduate transfer pitcher Molly Jacobsen and freshman pitcher Ryleigh White attempted to stop the bleeding, but their efforts proved too little too late for the Longhorns as the game ended by run-rule in the fifth inning.

After being served a piece of humble pie, the Longhorns will look in the mirror as they return to Austin to play Texas State on Wednesday before resuming Big 12 play against Kansas this weekend.