Oklahoma softball notebook: Playing a role in 'the party'
Oklahoma softball didn’t feel like it was going to be challenge in the regional round. But you simply never know.
Head coach Patty Gasso stresses not watching what’s happening to other teams. Just focus on who you are and what you’re doing.
That’ll work, especially when you’re the No. 1 team in the country. The Sooners steamrolled Cal 16-3 (5 innings) to earn another regional championship Sunday.
No. 2 UCLA was knocked out Saturday. Other national seeds are playing their ‘if’ games Sunday. That’s not what OU is worried about.
“What I always talk about, and I just got done talking to our team about, is staying engaged, staying focused, whether you’re in the game or not,” Gasso said. “Whenever you’re called upon, you’re ready. If we want to give you a break and bring someone in, that you high-five each other and you root for that person.
“One thing about this team that I feel really good about is we just don’t have the selfishness that could easily be had. I think some people are a little disappointed. That’s just athletics. You can be disappointed that you’re not getting the call. But very likely, you will be getting it sometime during the game and you need to be ready.
“If I look in the dugout and I see someone not ready, I won’t bring them in. But I have not looked into the dugout this season and not felt somebody’s ready to come in. That’s the beauty of this team.”
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*You know in every game there’s going to be some sort of defensive gem from either Grace Lyons or Jayda Coleman or both.
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It was Coleman’s turn against the Bears. She made a leaping grab against the wall to steal a potential two-run home run.
“I’ve seen that a million times in practice,” junior Tiare Jennings said. “So seeing her in that moment, just unreal. I just wanted to scream and go an hug her. But I’ve seen that day-in and day-out so it’s nothing new.”
*A much-needed confidence boost for Cydney Sanders and Jocelyn Erickson this weekend. Sanders hit a couple of home runs, while Erickson was able to blast one of her own in the six-run first inning.
“It’s big. She’s kind of been in and out of the lineup,” Gasso said. “I think that messed with her mentality just a bit. She came out in the beginning of the season like a boss. She’s got her swing back and confidence back. The beauty is we can use her any time off the bench, like many others, who came in and showed they could do it for us.”
Quotable
“Excited for him because he gave up his career for me. And so for him to have this opportunity late in his life is what he wanted. And he was working with the (Oklahoma City) Spark and I don’t know that it was exactly the right fit. When this opened up it felt truly like God was calling him to apply for this position.
“He likes — he loves to make a difference in young people’s lives. But he’s also about sharing the gospel and his faith and this is a great opportunity for him to do that. So I’m very excited and I am hearing that Utah is one out away from hosting a Super Regional. So yeah. If we could all find our way there at the World Series this would be absolutely crazy.” – Patty Gasso on her husband, Jim, being named the head softball coach at Mid-America Christian University this weekend
