Patty Gasso reflects on longtime assistant Melyssa Lombardi returning to Norman as Oregon head coach
With Oregon playing in the Norman Regional of the 2024 NCAA softball tournament, it marked a return of an integral figure in the growth of Oklahoma softball: Ducks head coach Melyssa Lombardi.
Prior to taking over as the head coach in Eugene in July of 2018, Lombardi spent 21 years as a chief consigliere to Sooners head coach Patty Gasso, including 11 seasons as associate head coach. And speaking with the ESPN crew ahead of the top of the 4th inning with a 2-1 lead over Oregon, Gasso reflected on Lombardi coming back to Norman.
Plus, Lombardi’s staff features another former Sooner star, Sydney Romero.
“It’s always great to see her, but I haven’t seen her in Norman since she left, so to be able to show her and Syd Romero this new stadium — Melyssa been by my side for 20 years so it’s a big deal for me, it’s a big deal for her,” Gasso said. “So it’s a good connection and I’m just, I think it’s awesome that we’re both still coaching. Especially me. It was a good moment for us.”
The Sooners held a 2-1 lead in the winners bracket matchup largely because starting pitcher Kelly Maxwell was cruising along.
“Working ahead in the count, coming back when she’s behind in the count, getting ground balls and fly balls that we can make plays on,” Gasso said of Maxwell before she produced a 1-2-3 4th inning.
Gasso had a simple message for her squad ahead of the regional
Oklahoma opened the tournament Friday night against Cleveland State, and through three innings, it was quite the pitchers’ duel.
Nicole May and Melissa Holzopfel went toe-to-toe to start the game as Oklahoma took a 1-0 lead into the top of the fourth inning. The Sooners are the No. 2 seed in the tournament, marking the first time in five years they missed out on the top overall seed.
But Gasso’s message was simple. Given the program’s record, the players know what they have to do to continue their quest for an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
To borrow a line from the late Toby Keith, she’s looking for a little less talk and a lot more action.
“They’ve been there, they’ve done that. There’s not a lot I can say anymore,” Gasso said on the ESPNU broadcast. “I know what they want, I know how they fight for it, I know what our practices look like. There’s not much to say. It’s just more about actions and doing.”
May put together another strong showing in the circle to start the game, tying her season high with seven strikeouts through four innings of action. The lone run came courtesy of Kasidi Pickering, who hit a solo home run in the second inning to put Oklahoma on the board.
Hozopfel was also putting together a good day out of the gate, entering the fourth inning with three strikeouts to her name and just the one blemish in the second inning. Gasso noted how impressive the pitching was and how Cleveland State – which hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2009 – rose to the occasion.
“Competitive,” Gasso said of the start of the game. “I think both pitchers are being very competitive. It’s a good battle down here. I’d say Cleveland State is certainly not fearful of the Sooners, and they’re playing a really good game.
“So this is a battle – good battling at-bats, good competitive pitches. It’s good right now. Tough.”