Abby Dayton comfortable setting the table for OU softball, one win away from WCWS

It might not have been the role Abby Dayton saw for herself initially when transferring to OU. But she has no problems with it.

Perhaps expecting to be the leadoff hitter and get the party started, the Utah transfer has become the quintessential nine-hole spot.

Turning that lineup over. OU only scored in two innings against Alabama, and both times? Yep, it was Dayton setting the table in the 3-0 victory against Alabama in Game 1 of the Norman Super Regional on Friday afternoon.

Nobody on OU had more than one hit, but it was Dayton who got on base twice and scored. The first time, it was a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third. Kasidi Pickering brought her home with a two-run bomb to centerfield to make it 2-0.

“Kas and I had a little conversation before we went to bat,” Dayton said. “We were like, ‘We’re gonna get this. We’re gonna get on base.’ She said, ‘You’re gonna get on and I’m gonna move you over.’ I said, ‘No, you’re gonna hit me in.

“Doesn’t matter where I am, you’re gonna hit me in.’ She said, ‘OK.’ And then first pitch, she hit a home run. I can’t do anything but turn around and watch her run the bases. I was so excited for her.”

Same situation in the fifth. Dayton leading off, and this time she roped a double in the left-center gap. She would later score on a two-out RBI single from freshman Sydney Barker.

It’s not an accident Dayton is where she is. Head coach Patty Gasso has always been able to effectively use that spot. Dayton is the latest in a long line of nine-hole hitters who understand, accept and embrace their role.

Part of that is the maturity to realize what it means. And part of that is doing whatever it takes to get the win.

“She wants to win more than anybody I’ve seen in a long time,” Gasso said. “She loves to play the game, loves to be a part of it. Loves to be that table-setter and we have found her setting the table in the nine hole for Pick all season long whenever she’s down there.

“Could she be up higher? She has been and it’s great but we know what we’re trying to do, I think she understands the game well enough to know. She doesn’t take that as anything except, ‘Let me get on for Pick’ and that’s what’s been happening here.”

That was more than enough offense for Sam Landry. The OU ace was as good as ever in shutting down the Crimson Tide.

Landry pitched all seven innings, allowing four hits with five strikeouts in 108 pitches. She is 23-4 this season and 4-0 in the postseason.

“We watched — well, at least I watched the three games from the last time we played them,” Landry said. “Really just seeing what we had already thrown at them and then coming into this game knowing we were going to have to keep them off balance. Just kind of stay with what we’re good at, so really just going in with a lot of confidence. Anything that happened in conference right now does not matter. 

“We’re in a completely different part of season. Really just a lot of confidence knowing this team is gonna have my back, knowing the hitters are gonna come out swinging because they’ve looked amazing all week.”

Up next

One win away. No. 2-seeded OU (49-7) tries to punch its ticket back to Devon Park in Oklahoma City. Game 2 set for 2 p.m. Saturday on ESPN. If there is a Game 3, it will be Sunday at a time and TV network to be determined.