Oklahoma baseball making tracks toward a title | Big 12 baseball power rankings

The Oklahoma baseball program last won a regular-season conference championship in 1995 as Big Eight members. The Sooners are in the driver's seat to win the Big 12 in their last year in the conference.

The combination of Oklahoma sweeping Texas Tech last weekend and Oklahoma State and West Virginia losing conference series widened the Sooners' lead in the standings back to three games with two Big 12 series left.

"That's comforting," OU center fielder John Spikerman said, "but we can't get complacent. Anybody can beat anybody in this conference, and we've got to take care of our business in the future. I'm excited to keep going."

Oklahoma had never swept four Big 12 regular-season series before this season. The sweep at Texas Tech was the Sooners' fifth, after they took three apiece from Central Florida, TCU, Kansas State and Brigham Young.

OU coach Skip Johnson's colleagues didn't see that coming, slotting the Sooners to tie for sixth in the preseason Big 12 coaches poll.

"They're free to their opinions," Johnson said. "That's what it is. It's just about playing the game one pitch at a time and inning to inning. They can have their opinions. That's all we care about is playing one pitch at a time, inning to inning."

Related:Texas Tech baseball falls again to Oklahoma, extending skid

Related:OU baseball looks to end frustrating skid at Texas Tech: 'We're just plowing away'

In Oklahoma's 8-7 victory Sunday in Lubbock, Spikerman homered and threw out a runner at the plate. The Sooners' leadoff hitter, he recently was out of the lineup for five weeks after hamate surgery.

"It's a process and I guess it's moving a little quicker than I anticipated," he said. "But I'm just grateful to be able to play the game I love again."

Here are this week's Big 12 power rankings. Records and rankings in the USA TODAY Sports coaches Top 25 are as of Monday.

1. Oklahoma (29-17, 18-6)

Last week: 1

What to know: The 17th-ranked Sooners can clinch a share of the Big 12 title with another sweep this weekend. Plausible with Baylor coming in to Norman.

2. Oklahoma State (32-16, 15-9)

Last week: 2

What to know: Two-way player Carson Benge went from the bullpen to the rotation two weeks ago and has looked good doing it. He allowed one run each to Brigham Young and Texas.

3. Texas (30-19, 15-9)

Last week: 3

What to know: Texas went 2-1 against Oklahoma State, because of course. The Longhorns have taken two out of three in seven Big 12 series.

4. West Virginia (28-18, 15-9)

Last week: 4

What to know: With an RPI at 40, the Mountaineers best not lay an egg when they close Big 12 play against Kansas State and TCU.

5. Kansas State (28-19, 12-12)

Last week: 7

What to know: K-State won the Sunflower Showdown from Kansas with 3-2 and 4-2 victories in the three-game series. In both, Nick English had the game-winning hit and Tyson Neighbors the save.

6. Cincinnati (27-21, 13-11)

Last week: 8

What to know: Break up the Bearcats, who have won three Big 12 series in a row. Quality starts by Tommy Boba and Nathan Taylor made the difference against West Virginia.

7. Kansas (27-17, 13-11)

Last week: 5

What to know: Maybe the Jayhawks won't end a nine-year NCAA tournament drought. But they could finish above .500 in the Big 12 for the first time since 2014.

8. Central Florida (29-15, 11-12)

Last week: 9

What to know: Knights steadied themselves with two triumphs at Houston before a rainout. Can they handle Texas at home?

9. TCU (29-16, 13-14)

Last week: 10

What to know: Horned Frogs are 5-1 in their past six conference games. Getting it figured out just in time?

10. Texas Tech (30-20, 12-15)

Last week: 6

What to know: Talk about outcomes that foreshadowed nothing: Tech swept West Virginia three weeks ago and now leads Baylor by 1 1/2 games for 10th place — the last spot that makes the conference tournament.

11. Baylor (20-26, 9-15)

Last week: 11

What to know: Bears are on an eight-game conference losing streak after dropping the last two against Kansas and being swept by West Virginia and TCU.

12. Brigham Young (18-26, 6-18)

Last week: 12

What to know: Cougars, odd team out on the conference schedule last weekend, spent it in Coral Gables, losing two of three to Miami. Now back home for Cincinnati and trying to snap a nine-game Big 12 losing streak.

13. Houston (23-24, 6-17)

Last week: 13

What to know: No Big 12 series victories since March. No reprieves with Kansas and Oklahoma State left to play.