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Best of OU head coach Patty Gasso: Learning to show up every game

Bob Przybyloby:Bob Przybylo•02/26/25•

BPrzybylo

It hasn’t always been pretty, but OU softball has been finding a way to begin things in 2025. Three weekends, 14 victories, a No. 2 national ranking.

And learning with every step of the way. Head coach Patty Gasso mentioning having to teach the killer instinct again, after not having to worry about that for the last four seasons.

It’s different, but it’s not all bad. OU is back at Love’s Field for one more tournament weekend before the start of SEC play.

Kansas, Marshall and Kansas City coming to Norman for five games in three days for OU.

Here’s the best of Gasso in summing up what’s happening for the team.

Showing up every day?

It is important to be able to find ways to win when maybe your body doesn’t want to or whether you’re tired, whether you are feeling like you’re in a slump. Whatever it is, nobody cares. That’s the truth. Like, no one cares. I don’t care. No one cares. You’ve just gotta find a way. There are many times you might not want to come to the field. But softball, we talked about, should be something you can’t wait to play. And it’s not always easy. Doesn’t always work your way. Sometimes you’re behind and you feel the stress. But that’s the beauty of the chase. It’s fun to be in those positions and see what you can do with it. And so it’s that was a big game for us.

Evaluate the pitching staff?

Really good, pretty good. I know that Bella Smith has not given up an earned run yet. Sam Landry is just a K machine right now. Really coming in and doing well. I think Audrey was a little tight, but I’m not going to use that against because she has been throwing really well for us. Paytn is getting the opportunities that fit for her the right way, the matchup has to be right. And KD has really elevated her game as well. I go into any game with a lot of confidence in our pitching staff. They all have different looks and have all been showing a lot of success. 

Cydney Sanders as a senior, as a leader?

She is not a big vocal leader. She’s that one-on-one, behind the scenes, let me help you, let me tell you what I’ve been through (leader). And she’s right. I don’t look much in the dugout so she is doing it behind the scenes because I don’t know that a lot of people see that. They’re all up at the front of the dugout but she cares about this team and I feel that and she’s been a good representative of just being authentic to who you are vs. being this way and living this way so to speak. The changes in her have been absolutely amazing. Her faith has done that and I’ve seen that. It’s been really awesome to watch.

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