Red River Rivalry tension builds after controversial comments by Mike White toward Patty Gasso

Friday night marked the start of a three-game series as Oklahoma and Texas renewed the softball edition of the Red River Rivalry. Before the game, though, Longhorns coach Mike White made waves for some controversial comments about the Sooners, and Patty Gasso responded afterward.

It started when White met with reporters before the game and talked about Oklahoma’s ability to stay atop the softball world. The Sooners are fresh off their fourth national championship in six years — appropriately, over Texas — and find themselves once again the No. 1 team in the country as they look for their third consecutive title.

“They find ways to keep reloading and I’m not quite sure all of it is, uh, whatever, I won’t say anymore,” White said.

That quote made its way around social media, and White told reporters Friday night he was taken out of context from the 20-minute interview. He reiterated he didn’t mean to suggest Oklahoma was cheating and said he plans to talk to Gasso about the situation. However, he added it probably wouldn’t happen until Saturday.

“She’s upset … Maybe tomorrow,” White said, via The Oklahoman’s Ryan Aber.

But Gasso heard what he said and addressed the comments after Oklahoma’s 8-1 victory in Oklahoma City.

“I’m not surprised but I take the high road,” Gasso told reporters, via Aber. “I don’t have to answer to anybody. I’ve just got to look in the mirror and I am very comfortable when I do that.”

The Red River Rivalry went to new heights last year in the Women’s College World Series. Oklahoma swept Texas in the best-of-three series to win its sixth title under Gasso’s leadership and the program’s second repeat after doing so in 2016 and 2017.

Friday night marked the first time the two teams squared off since that night in Oklahoma City, and the Sooners picked up right where they left off. Tiare Jennings had four RBI — including a three-run home run — to lead Oklahoma to the 8-1 victory. Jordy Bahl spun a gem in the circle, holding the Longhorns to two hits and striking out six en route to the victory.

Texas’ lone run came in the top of the first inning when Leighann Goode hit a lead-off home run off Bahl. After that point, the Longhorns mustered up just one hit on a fifth-inning single from Ashton Maloney.

The three-game series between Oklahoma and Texas will continue Saturday at 11 a.m. CT back in Norman and will conclude Sunday.