Patty Gasso explains why this run means so much to Grace Lyons

For the last five years, Grace Lyons has been a staple of the Oklahoma lineup. The fifth-year senior shortstop has started nearly every game in which she’s appeared since arriving in Norman, and she’s proudly wearing the “C” on her chest for the Sooners this year.

Now, she’s gearing up for her last NCAA Softball Tournament as a player and hoping to put an exclamation point on her impressive career.

Lyons has a .353 batting average this year while hitting eight home runs and adding 32 RBI. Her .432 on base percentage ranks fifth on the Sooners roster, as well, and she anchored the Oklahoma defense once again by winning her third straight Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award.

Lyons opened the NCAA Tournament in a huge way Friday night, hitting a two-run home run as Oklahoma run-ruled Hofstra to set up a Regional semifinal game against Missouri on Saturday.

But even beyond the box score, Lyons is one of the leaders for the Sooners this year, according to head coach Patty Gasso. She’s a key voice in the huddle during games, and she’s trying to make her last run a memorable one not only for herself, but for her team.

“I think there might be a few things,” Gasso said. “For her, she’s our captain, so she’s in the circle and she’s talking. Very calm and cool and ‘What’s our plan?’ But I think she knows this might be her last time on the field for a while and really trying to — I don’t feel her pressing at all, but just really wanting to go out on her terms.”

Oklahoma — the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament — cruised past Hofstra for the 11-0 victory in Friday’s opener. Jayda Coleman also added a home run as part of the effort, and the duo of Nicole May and Alex Storako spun a gem in the circle as they held the Pride to just one hit in five innings of work. May threw four full innings, striking out five to get the win.

Gasso raved about the pitching performance, which helped set up Saturday’s matchup against Missouri.

“Nicole’s just always ready and waiting,” Gasso said, via On3 and Sooner Scoop’s Bob Przybylo. “So I had zero concerns about putting her on the mound today. Knew that she would start us the right way and she did. Very efficient. Extremely efficient with her pitching today. And that really gives your team a big boost behind her.

“You’re in and out. You’re not standing on the field for a long time with ball after ball. She’s just hammering the strike zone, getting ground outs, inducing fly outs, getting strikeouts. So I can’t ask for anything more today.”