OU softball takes Round 1 vs. Texas, setting stage for weekend to come

Buckle up, OU softball fans. This is Texas weekend, and Friday night gave everybody just a bit of a glimpse of what’s to be expected the rest of the way.

Sam Landry was able to get that 21^st out, leaving the tying and go-ahead runners on base to give OU a 7-6 victory against the visiting Longhorns at Love’s Field.

OU led 6-0 through three innings, but Texas fought back in front of a record crowd at Love’s of 4,587 fans.

It wasn’t Landry’s best day, far from it, but she navigated a bases loaded, two out situation in the top of the seventh. She allowed a run with a wild pitch before getting Joley Mitchell to fly out to end the contest.

Game 1 to the Sooners.

“I have to start with just a wonderful, heartfelt shout out to our fans,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “That was amazing. We had a blast. They were loud. They were into it. But we were very proud that they were there, that they were standing tall throughout the entire game. Through all the twists and turns there were. They never let go. So, really grateful for that.

“I loved the way we came out and the way we started. Thought we set a really good tone. Ailana obviously seeing the ball really well. Sam had really good control. You can’t shut out Texas. It’s very difficult to do that. They’re very good hitters up and down the lineup. Speed, they’ve got a little bit of everything. There were some really tough mistakes that hurt us. That was very uncomfortable. Things that we know better. Again, here we are. We keep learning. We’ve gotta keep learning. So all of us had something, somewhere. And it’s OK. That’s part of the game.”

It was a night that belonged to second baseman Ailana Agbayani. When you’re seeing the ball that well, there is no stopping you.

Agbayani provided the biggest blast of the night, a grand slam in the bottom of the third to give OU that 6-0 advantage.

“I feel like we have such a great team atmosphere that it’s all about trusting the team,” Agbayani said. “And I feel like my confidence is really just showing our team’s confidence and how we’re really blending in, really mixing in well with each other.”

OU had its way with Texas ace Teagan Kavan. Freshman Gabbie Garcia started the five-run third with a solo shot of her own.

After Texas narrowed the margin to 6-5, it was Agbayani coming through with an RBI double that proved to be critical in the final frame.

Neither Kavan nor Landry brought their elite stuff. You have to find ways to win when you’re not clicking on all cylinders.

Landry did that, throwing her 13^th complete game of the season and moving to 16-3 this season.

“I felt like I didn’t have my absolute best stuff today. I think my drop was very hit or miss,” Landry said. “That’s what got away. I think just kind of accepting that pitch because I knew I wasn’t at my best today. I had to move on. We were able to get it in on her hands and get her to pop up. It worked out.”

You wouldn’t expect anything less from OU and Texas. That’s why they’re two of the best teams in the country. And why this Sooners team keeps turning heads. Simply put, they find a way.

“This team has lost five games,” Gasso said. “You’re like how are they doing that? It’s because they find ways. It doesn’t always look pretty, but they find ways to do it. That’s the beauty of it. sometimes after a game, I’m like how did we do that? That’s that resilient and grinding, fighting, head down mentality.

Up next

OU (40-5 overall, 14-5 SEC) is now in second place all by itself in the conference. The 11 a.m. scheduled start for Saturday has now been pushed back to 6:30 p.m. Originally scheduled for ESPN2, the move in start time has it now on SEC Network+.