How Oklahoma Coach Patty Gasso Continues to Instill Confidence in Her Team at the WCWS
OKLAHOMA CITY — Saturday’s fifth inning was far from straightforward for Oklahoma.
The top-ranked Sooners were on cruise control, dominating the 4-seeded Tennessee Volunteers — up 9-0 — just needing three quick outs to notch their 28th run-rule win of the year and 50th in a row.
Right-handed pitcher Alex Storako had already come in to relieve starter Jordy Bahl in the fourth inning. She began the inning on schedule, inducing a ground ball from Volunteer second baseman Destiny Rodriguez to record the first out of the fifth.
Then OU coach Patty Gasso took a trip to the pitching circle.
Gasso withdrew Storako, who had recorded just two outs, in favor of true freshman Kierston Deal.
Deal then recorded the second out of the inning, and Gasso stepped out of the dugout again, subbing Deal for junior Nicole May.
Oklahoma pitcher Nicole May faced two Tennessee batters on Saturday, recording the last out of the 9-0 victory.
BRYAN TERRY / THE OKLAHOMAN-USA TODAY NETWORK
What seemed trivial to many was crucial to Gasso.
Storako and Deal had never entered the circle at the Women’s College World Series, and May had yet to see action in the 2023 WCWS.
Oklahoma needs three more wins to capture its third consecutive national title, and Gasso is trying to control as many variables as possible.
Using three pitchers for the last four outs may not seem like a lot, but Gasso has always yearned to get new faces experience in the unique WCWS atmosphere.
That experience — even if for just a batter — is central to how Gasso manages her team on softball’s biggest stage.
“There's nothing like it,” Gasso said. “(OU’s veteran players) do such a good job of bringing the young players around because you hear every player up here talk about their dreams of being here. It's real. When they're here, they can just get overwhelmed by the emotion and seeing their parents, the crowds and everything.
“Our upperclassmen have done a really good job of bringing the rest along.”
The longtime members of the Sooners, key contributors like Grace Lyons, Kinzie Hansen, Tiare Jennings, Jayda Coleman and Rylie Boone, have seen every path the World Series has to offer.
In 2021, Oklahoma fell in the event’s first contest, battling all the way back through the loser’s bracket before needing all three games in the Championship Series to down Florida State.
Last year, the path was much different.
The Sooners only dropped one game, the first semifinal against UCLA, before immediately responding with a run-rule victory over the Bruins in the if-necessary game.
OU is on its 2022 path, awaiting either 7-seeded Washington or 9-seeded Stanford on Monday.
Gasso handed Bahl the start in each of Oklahoma’s first two games, meaning either May or Storako is likely going to get the ball on Monday.
Both should be prepared to handle the atmosphere, but Saturday’s pitching parade also served another purpose for Storako.
The Michigan transfer has been steady all year for Oklahoma.
Oklahoma pitcher Alex Storako made her Women's College World Series debut Saturday against Tennessee.
John E. Hoover / AllSooners
She entered the World Series with a 1.13 ERA, ringing up 106 strikeouts while only issuing 17 walks across 99 innings.
But her NCAA Tournament run hadn’t yet gone to plan.
She gave up three runs on five hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings against California in the Norman Regional Final, and recorded no outs while allowing three runs on two hits and a walk in Game 2 of Oklahoma’s Super Regional against Clemson.
Storako hadn’t allowed three runs since taking on Texas on April 1. Saturday’s outing, albeit brief, may have helped her get back on track.
“These young transfer kids that come here,” said Gasso, “and they say, ‘I want to come here because I know you know how to get there and that's my dream.’ For Alex, she's one of those.
“To get that moment on the mound was her dream come true.”
Oklahoma’s veterans aren’t short on confidence, and the Sooners’ self-belief is infectious — especially helpful for the transfers.
“You're seeing Haley Lee, Cyd Sanders, Alynah Torres,” Gasso said. “They're all thriving, but they're thriving because of the people around them.
“Jayda Coleman is one of the most confident young ladies I've ever seen. She spills that into Boone who spills into Brito. It just keeping spilling all over in a wonderful way that we don't want to clean up, we want to keep spilling.”
Oklahoma will take the field at Hall of Fame Stadium again on Monday at 11 a.m.
The Sooners are the most talented team and they’ll be well-rested.
But most important, they’re going to continue to play confident and free — the same way that’s led them to reel off 50 straight wins.
“Everybody out there is just raising the confidence right now,” said Gasso, “and it's really enjoyable to be a part of.”
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