Oklahoma Ready for 'Jaw Dropping' Honor of Playing on ABC
The Oklahoma Sooners are again making history.
But on Saturday, they’ll rewrite the history books by simply stepping onto the field.
Game 2 of their NCAA Super Regional will be the first ever collegiate softball game to broadcast on ABC.
OU first baseman Taylon Snow said she was stunned when head coach Patty Gasso relayed the news to the team in a meeting earlier this week.
“It’s kind of like jaw dropping knowing that we’re able to use a platform now at that high,” Snow said during a Zoom press conference on Tuesday. “You watch news on ABC. That’s kind of crazy, softball being on that for the first time.
“To be a part of that, that’s pretty awesome.”
The Sooners hope the broadcast will close with a celebration, as they will be able to punch their ticket to the 2021 Women’s College World Series if they are able to beat the Huskies on Friday and Saturday.
To get to that point though, the team will have to remained focused.
“They’re excited about it, but I don’t want them to think too hard about it because then that creates the anxiety and things you don’t want them to think about,” Gasso said during a Zoom press conference on Tuesday. “We have to make this as natural and real as we do every day.
“They definitely are aware of it, they find it a great honor.”
Gasso said the decision by ABC to pick up the game speaks to the intrigue around the matchup with the Huskies.
“It’s kind of unique that it’s happening in a Super Regional, to be honest with you,” she said. “But I think the country is in love with this matchup. So, you know, we’re just going to play our game. That’s all we can do.”
Game 1 of the series will be played at 2 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field and will be broadcast on ESPN. The ABC broadcast for Game 2 will also start at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon from Norman.