An emotional weekend for OU softball leads to another Super Regional appearance

OU softball head coach Patty Gasso knew it was going to be a tough weekend. Not just because it was the Norman Regional or because we’ve entered the postseason.

But getting Oregon to come to Love’s Field? A wave of emotions were going to follow, and they did. It couldn’t happen any other way when you think about the connections Gasso has with Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi and assistant Sydney Romero.

And the two teams played an outstanding game that saw No. 2 OU do just enough when it mattered most. The Sooners pulled out the 3-2 victory against the Ducks on Sunday afternoon to punch their ticket to the Super Regional.

OU beat Oregon on Saturday and Sunday to advance to the Super Regional round. The Sooners have won 16 consecutive NCAA postseason games, dating back to the 2022 Women’s College World Series.

“I thought both teams played well,” Gasso said. “It should have been an entertaining game for anybody watching. Two teams fighting really hard and I thought pitching on both sides was really good. We had good defensive plays on both sides. Timely hitting was a key for us and Nicole May went to another place for the Sooners and we’re really excited about that, taking that into further postseason.

“And now that it’s over I can tell you that I really was not comfortable with Oregon being here because I know what Coach Lombardi does with that team and they’re always like that underdog, we’re going to fight you until the end, we’re unafraid. And we needed to feel that. It brought out the best in us.”

Gasso had a pitching plan for Sunday, and it worked perfectly. Go Nicole May for the first five innings, and then let Kelly Maxwell take the Sooners home.

Maxwell hasn’t always been great in relief appearances this season, but she was as on as she’s been this time around.

She threw the final two frames, allowing one hit and striking out two. Maxwell was dominant in the seventh, registering a 1-2-3 inning and ending the game with a strikeout.

“I think all week long we’ve worked on being decisive and I think that was the word of the day,” Maxwell said. “And I think Nicole May started with that and I think I just wanted to pick her up in that moment and have her back and be decisive too.”

OU got out to a 2-0 lead, with Jayda Coleman coming up huge all afternoon. Coleman had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run.

Boone’s defense dazzles

Usually when you think of a Rylie Boone defensive effort, it’s a diving or leaping grab. This time around, though, it was her arm.

Oregon had tied it 2-2 in the bottom of third, when Boone gunned down a runner at the plate to keep it the tied game.

“There was a lot of preparation that we’ve done since the fall with that happening,” Boone said. “So I really like when it happens and even when it happens, like we like wait for those moments and we’re always prepared when that comes. So seeing it actually come to life in a game, everyone was fired up.”

Tiare Jennings came through with what turned out to be the regional-winning RBI single in the top of the fourth.

OU battling

Every game this weekend featured an absolute grind of an at-bat. On Friday, it was Alyssa Brito. Then Kasidi Pickering had the same Saturday.

Sunday? It was Avery Hodge. A 12-pitch at-bat in the second inning ended with Hodge being hit by a pitch. She fouled off seven consecutive pitches before getting hit.

“It absolutely fired me up,” Coleman said. “It is probably the best feeling for you to have two strikes and end up getting hit. That is probably the easiest way for you to get on base. If you have two strikes, your batting average is going to be very, very low.

“And for have to be able just to get hit and get on base is extraordinary. And when I saw her fired up, it just went right into me. But yeah, I was real fired up. I have to get back down when I got in the batter’s box. But I was real hyped up on that one.”

Coleman scored Hodge with an RBI double.

Final word on Oregon

It’s common to see the players huddle up after the game. But the coaches? Don’t see that too often. It’s exactly what happened with Gasso, Lombardi and the OU-Oregon staffs.

“It was joyful, and it was bittersweet, too because if I am going to root for anybody other than the Sooners, it’s going to be the Ducks or the Razorbacks,” Gasso said. “It’s hard to see her and I going against each other. We haven’t done it since she moved on. This was a big moment for her. She made a mention of the crowd being so grateful and loving toward her and Syd. You were here for 20 years, you know, here for ¾ of my time here.

“I’m just happy we were able to do this in a really heartfelt, wonderful way. It wasn’t ugly. It was intense, but we handled it both really well. That’s just the respect we have for each other. My respect for that team. I’ve never seen them in person against us. Just a mad respect for their efforts.”

Super Regional

No. 2 OU (52-6 overall) welcomes a very familiar foe to Norman in No. 15 Florida State. The Seminoles took out Auburn in the regional round. OU, of course, defeated Florida State in the championship series in 2021 and 2023. The best two-of-three begins Thursday night at Love’s Field. Game 2 is Friday, with the *if game scheduled for Saturday.