OU softball offense goes next level, one victory away from WCWS

There has been a quiet confidence from OU softball head coach Patty Gasso during the last few weeks. Even though the bats haven’t always been there, she hasn’t been worried.

There was going to come a time when it would, and the softball world would be put on notice. That moment? It was Thursday, and Florida State didn’t have any answers.

The Sooners brought the bats and then some on their way to an 11-3 dominating five-inning, run-rule victory in Game 1 of the Super Regional at Love’s Field. One victory away from going back to the Women’s College World Series and getting a chance to earn that fourth straight national championship.

“Really, really good. Really good. The best I’ve ever seen them,” Gasso said. “Top to bottom, it’s hard to breathe when you’re facing these guys when they’re really feeling it.

“Tonight was probably the first time in a long while that I felt top to bottom. We were taking really great swings, and yeah, it looks really good.”

OU hit 11-for-23 as a team (.478 average) with four home runs, eight walks and zero strikeouts. That will work.

Obviously, OU and Florida State are no strangers to each other. And in previewing the matchup, it was very easy to see this could be a breakout weekend for the Sooners offense.

FSU’s pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries, and it’s a credit to the Seminoles that they’re still here. But against this OU lineup that is ready for one last ride? Not a good night.

The party was led by Alyssa Brito. She was inches away from a home run in her first plate appearance, settling for a double.

There was no settling the next two plate appearances. The first a razor-sharp liner that barely got off the ground for a home run. The next one? A towering, no-doubter for a two-run bomb.

Definitely. It’s the last time we get to play at Love’s Field together so for me, I’m just enjoying the moments. Trying to that into – hopefully, we can get there next week and take it day by day and pitch by pitch and being present in everybody’s at-bats. Just doing it together.

Kinzie Hansen had a two-run home run and Tiare Jennings started it all with a solo home run in the bottom of the first.

OU scored in every inning, putting the pressure on FSU all evening. The Sooners took control with a three-run third and five-run fourth inning.

Freshman Kasidi Pickering closed the show with a walk-off walk.

Maxwell guts it out

That’s not the Kelly Maxwell that OU fans have been accustomed to seeing, but it still worked. Gutty would be the word.

Maxwell threw 118 pitches in five innings. Maxwell allowed four hits, walked six, hit two and had three strikeouts.

“The message is fight through it because we all have to learn how to do that… If we get to the World Series you’ve got to fight through really tough times,” Gasso said. “So at times I’m like, ‘OK what are we going to do?’ And (Rocha’s) like, ‘keep her there. Let her keep going. Let her figure it out.’

“And it may not look like she did but she did, especially later in the game. So it’s a victory. I just don’t — nobody knows probably what I’m talking about but for Kelly to stay through that and fight through that and throw over 100 pitches, that’s a victory.”

Jennings makes history

With every big hit, Jennings moves up the OU and NCAA ladder. Her solo home run to get things started is No. 95 in her career. That ties Lauren Chamberlain third all-time in NCAA history.

It’s also her 18^th home run in NCAA Tournament play.

“Gosh, I never would have thought,” Jennings said. “I honestly didn’t really know that was the thing. But records are meant to be broken, so it’s definitely a huge honor. Just shows the power of Sooners and home run power, but it’s just super cool.”

One win away

The Sooners (53-6) are now one win away from reaching yet another Women’s College World Series and getting a chance to for their fourth straight national championship. Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. Friday. Game 3, if necessary, would be Saturday at a time to be determined.

“Difficult,” Gasso said. “I don’t expect that we’re going to have a game like we did today because they’re too competitive. They’re too well-coached. They’ve been here before. They know what this feels like. They’re going to fight.

“So it’s not going to be an easy journey. Good news is we always talk about get that first game, put it in your pocket and then just absolutely try to grab it tomorrow knowing that you have that security blanket if you need it but this one was really important.