Oklahoma Ready to Host Non-Conference Series Against UAB

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s homestand continues on Friday afternoon, as the No. 1-ranked Sooners are in the midst of a seven-game set at Marita Hynes Field.

Friday’s contest brings in a non-conference foe, as OU (30-0) will play host to the UAB Blazers (20-11).

Oklahoma’s continued reprieve from Big 12 action again gives the Sooners the opportunity to hone in on the finer details, something head coach Patty Gasso was unhappy with in OU’s last outing against the Wichita State Shockers.

When, How to Watch:

Game 1 vs. UAB: Friday, 6:30 p.m., SoonerSports.TV

Game 2 vs. UAB: Saturday, 1 p.m., SoonerSports.TV

“I think it’s just attentiveness,” Gasso said after the win over Wichita State on Tuesday. “… Sometimes when you get in this part of the season, I kind of related it to (the team being) like on a hamster wheel.

“… You just keep going and you keep going so much… It just gets very redundant. It gets tired, you get tired. I think we need to create something that will bring a little freshness to us.”

Still, even battling trough minor mistakes, the Sooners have continued to find ways to respond.

Against the Shockers, a defensive stalwart like Grace Lyons had an uncharacteristic error which helped a run score in the top of the first inning.

The response? OU’s star shortstop more than made up for it in the batter’s box, as she logged her second career three-home run game.

That kind of resiliency has played a big part in Oklahoma’s overwhelming start to the season, and it’s something Lyons said she personally has been able to achieve by leaning on her years of experience.

“From freshman year to now, I’ve grown so much as a player,” Lyons said after the Wichita State win. “Coach teaches you how to play and the mentality behind it.

“… So the mentality is just next ball. If you think about what happened in the past or last game, the same thing is gonna keep happening. So I just try to focus on bouncing back and just being confident and things are gonna happen.”

The Blazers should provide a good test in focus.

UAB has played four ranked matchups on the season, two against Louisiana and a pair against Alabama, so it has experience against some of the top teams in college softball. But over those four contests, the Blazers have been outscored 40-1, hardly putting anyone on upset alert.

The two-game set will allow the Sooners to focus on themselves, as they continue to chase the high standards Gasso has set out for the team.

If Oklahoma can take care of business, they’ll be afforded a rare luxury this weekend — a Sunday off.

OU will host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Wednesday next week before returning to Big 12 play, meaning the team can get off their feet and

The Sooners will have their first chance to get back on track in Gasso’s eyes on Friday night.

First pitch between OU and UAB is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. from Marita Hynes Field, and the game will be broadcast on SoonerSports.TV.

Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the AllSooners message board community today!

Sign up for your premium membership to AllSooners.com today, and get access to the entire Fan Nation premium network!

Follow AllSooners on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest OU news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google