OU softball notches series win, milestone victory for Patty Gasso
Those are the games OU head coach Patty Gasso loves to see. The games she remembers. And the fact it’s a milestone victory is just a coincidence.
On a day where OU had two hits as a team, it was still enough. Kierston Deal was brilliant in the circle, and the Sooners earned the 2-1 victory at Central Florida on Saturday afternoon.
Deal allowed a two-out run-scoring double in the bottom of the seventh but was able to finish the job. She went the distance, allowing zero earned runs, two hits and striking out four.
Deal is now 11-1 this season and needed just 92 pitches to help OU to another series victory.
Tiare Jennings hit a solo home run in a two-run fourth and that was basically it. The Sooners went 2-for-24 as a team Saturday.
The win, though? It’s No. 1,500 in the remarkable career for Gasso. She becomes just the third softball coach to reach that plateau.
Gasso has always said the run-rule wins don’t leave the lasting impression. It’s a game like Saturday where you have to dig deep. Those are the ones that mean something. Saturday meant something.
Two teams conclude their series 10 a.m. Sunday on ESPNU.
OU 10, UCF 2 (Friday)
There’s consistency, and then there’s whatever OU softball pitcher Kelly Maxwell has been doing lately for the Sooners.
One Friday after another. One dominant outing after another. It did not stop on this Friday night at Central Florida.
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OU scored early and let Maxwell do the rest on its way to a 10-2 victory against host UCF in the first of the final three road games of the season.
Something we’ve seen quite a bit in Big 12 play when OU is visiting is the Sooners jumping out to the early start. You knew UCF was going to come out fired up after only scoring one run in a three-game sweep vs. Baylor last weekend.
The way you stop any momentum from forming is by making the early statement. OU did exactly that with a five-spot in the top of the first. The key hits were a two-run single by Kasidi Pickering, and then a two-run home run by Alyssa Brito.
Maxwell with a 1-0 lead is dangerous enough. Give her a five-spot cushion? Just let her work. Maxwell actually gave up a lot of hits (8) but worked her way to another fine outing.
Maxwell went 6.1 innings, allowing the one run with two walks and five strikeouts. Karlie Keeney came in for the final two outs.
Jayda Coleman added some insurance with a solo home run in the third inning, the first of her two RBIs.
