After Uncharacteristic Start, Oklahoma's Defense Playing at Championship Level

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s defense wasn’t bad early in the season, but the Sooners weren’t playing their customary spectacular defense for the first month or so.

But as Oklahoma’s pitching has come around, the defense has also come on strong.

The Sooners have committed 17 errors this season, but only six since March 8.

“The defense feels locked in and ready,” Sooners coach Patty Gasso said.

Second-ranked Oklahoma figures to need big-time defense down the stretch, with series coming up against No. 4 Texas, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 16 Georgia and No. 14 Texas A&M to wind up SEC play.

That figures to mean more close games that can be decided by one pitch, one hit or one critical defensive play.

“We’re really, really good defensively,” Gasso said. “... I’m going to say this and people won’t believe it but I think defense wins championships in most all sports. And I say that and I remember a young lady named Jayda Coleman reaching over the fence at the College World Series that helped us win a national championship. I mean it will crush offensive flow of the other team when you can shut them down on defense. And so far, this team has showed they can do that.”

The Sooners open the three-game series against the Longhorns at 6 p.m. Friday in Austin.

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No player on OU’s roster has more errors this season than second baseman Ailana Agbayani, who has five.

Agbayani had two errors all of last season and made an uncharacteristic two in the March 23 game at Ole Miss, but has just one since.

She’s also made some spectacular plays recently, including a diving catch on a low popup last weekend against Kentucky.

Agbayani said the pitching improvement has helped, but even through the struggles, the defense has stayed ready, even as the numbers show a marked improvement.

“I think it helps us be confident but always, even before (the recent improvement in the pitching staff), I think I always trust my pitchers,” Agbayani said. “The whole infield and outfield — we want balls. We’re willing to lay out for anything, like we like balls in play so I don’t think anything really (has changed).

“Strikeouts are great but we also love making plays for them.”

Freshman Allyssa Parker has four errors, though she’s also bounced around to quite a few different positions, so it’s no surprise it would take some time to acclimate.

Shortstop Gabbie Garcia has three, but has not committed one since Feb. 28.

No other player on the roster has more than one, and only one of that group of five have made an error since the calendar turned to March.

Regulars Kendall Wells, Ella Parker, Kai Minor, Abby Dayton, Kasidi Pickering and Isabela Emerling have yet to commit and error in a combined 402 chances.

The Sooners enter this weekend’s series No. 7 nationally in fielding percentage — though just sixth in the SEC.

But that’s a big improvement on where they were just a few weeks ago.