Oklahoma Softball: Patty Gasso calls out team for missed opportunities vs. Texas, promises changes

Texas pitcher Hailey Dolcini is the only pitcher to get a win against Oklahoma during the regular season. That adds to the intrigue of the Sooners’ Women’s College World Series matchup with the Longhorns on Saturday.

Through the first three innings, Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso didn’t seem happy with how her team handled Dolcini early.

Oklahoma had a 2-1 lead after three innings of action thanks to a monster first-inning home run from power-hitting designated player Jocelyn Alo. But the Sooners weren’t getting much more going on offense after that, and Gasso pointed to Dolcini’s success in the circle in the early going of Saturday’s showdown.

However, she noted Oklahoma had some opportunities and didn’t capitalize. That’s when she said the No. 1-seeded Sooners are going to try some different looks to get things right.

“[Dolcini is] deceptive,” Gasso told ESPN’s Holly Rowe during an in-game interview. “She came in throwing a little bit harder now. She’s changing up speeds. So we’ve got to be more disciplined. We’re way early, we’ve got to sit late, we’ve got to work opposite field for our righties.

“It’s got to be better understanding of what she’s doing. We just wasted six opportunities and six straight outs. We’re better than that. So we’re going to step up and make a change.”

Oklahoma advanced in the WCWS after a dominant victory over Northwestern on Thursday. The Sooners trailed 1-0 before scoring 13 unanswered runs, thanks in large part to two grand slams, to defeat the Wildcats 13-2 and set up a rematch with Texas. The Longhorns were the only team to defeat Oklahoma during the regular season, handing Gasso’s group one of its two losses on the season.

No. 1 seed Oklahoma and unseeded Texas are currently facing off on ABC in the first-ever WCWS game on the channel.