OU softball forced to work the long road back after WCWS loss to Texas

OKLAHOMA CITY – OU softball was in a familiar spot in the seventh inning at Devon Park on Saturday.

But instead of last-minute heroics, it’s a team forced to take a look in the mirror and figure it out. Texas finally got the best of the Sooners in the state of Oklahoma.

Sparked by an inspired performance by Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan, OU couldn’t find the answers in a 4-2 loss to the Longhorns in a winner’s bracket contest. It is the first time UT has defeated OU in the state of Oklahoma since 2014.

If the Sooners are going to get the opportunity to play or win their fifth straight national championship, it’s going to be the long road back.

“Tough game for us, but I will say Kavan was throwing really, really well, really well, and had us a little bit off balance,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “We talked as a group that our offensive mindset was not like it has been, and that made a difference.

“But I thought Sam threw well. It’s hard to shut down a Texas offense. They’re very much like us. And defense played well also. The biggest issue that is circled on the paper is nine runners left on base, and that cannot happen against a good team like Texas.”

Those final two left on base happened in the top of the seventh. OU had two on with one out, but Kavan (26-5) slammed the door shut with back-to-back strikeouts (Gabbie Garcia, Hannah Coor).

The emotions were pouring out for Texas in the postgame press conference, as news trickled out that Kavan’s grandmother died Saturday morning.

“They told me it was my ball if I wanted it,” Kavan said. “I said, yeah. That was it.”

Kavan was lit up by the OU offense at Love’s Field last month. A dramatic turnaround at Devon Park, as Kavan went the distance, giving up seven hits, one earned run with two walks and eight strikeouts. The final one coming on pitch No. 129.

The Kavan riddle had not been tough for OU to solve the last two seasons. For the first time? A sense of real head-scratching.

“There was a little bit of frustration going on in the offensive side of things, and you could feel it, just a little bit of uncertainty or what should I look for, what should I choose? But I think the goal is just getting runners in scoring position, and we did have a couple of those opportunities that could have changed, would have, could have, but didn’t,” Gasso said. “And that’s the toughness of this game.”

Sam Landry threw another gritty effort, but not a dominant one. Landry went the six innings, giving up eight hits, three earned runs with two walks and two strikeouts. She is now 24-5 this season.

Landry gave up solo home runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth as it was Texas stepping up to break the 2-2 tie.

OU is no stranger to having to work its way back, but it hasn’t happened in a while. The Sooners were in the driver’s seat for their championships in 2022-24. However, earned the 2021 title through the loser’s draw.

Last year OU did lose to Florida in the semifinals before rallying to take out the Gators in the winner-take-all contest to reach the championship series. Going to lean into that, for sure.

“We’re just ready to come out and compete again,” sophomore Ella Parker said. “We’re ready.”

That will be the challenge. Parker has been here before. It’s a lot of weight to put on a sophomore, but Parker has the championship pedigree.

It has been some massive moments for the freshmen. The next 24 hours, obviously, will be crucial and will tell the story of the season.

“And I’ve got to keep them grinding. I’ve got to keep them not getting caught up in what if or thinking about the outcome,” Gasso said. “I’ve got to keep these guys in the moment and make them believe.

“When you run into a saw like — that’s what it felt like. She was just chopping us up a bit. But I stood in front of these guys today, and I said: I’ve been waiting for this moment to see what this team is truly made of.”

Up next

OU has to come right back and play Oregon 6 p.m. Sunday. The Sooners took out the Ducks in the regional round in Norman last season. The Ducks won a 6-5 thriller in 10 innings against Ole Miss on Friday night to survive and advance. The winner of OU-Oregon would then have to win twice on Monday against either UCLA or Texas Tech to advance to the championship series.