Oklahoma Ready for Final Non-Conference Tune-Up Before SEC Play Arrives in Norman

NORMAN — The Sooners are ready for SEC play, but Oklahoma has one last non-conference test before turning its sights on Auburn.

No. 6 OU hosts Tulsa at Love’s Field, which will provide Patty Gasso’s pitching staff another chance to build confidence.

Sophomores Audrey Lowry and Miali Guachino both enjoyed nice outings this past weekend at the Okana Invitational, but Gasso was especially pleased with the progress made by seniors Sydney Berzon and Kierston Deal.

How to Watch No. 6 Oklahoma vs. Tulsa

When: March 11
Where: Love's Field, Norman, OK
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Channel: SEC Network+

“Better control and getting strikes early in the count are important,” Gasso said of Berzon’s performance last Sunday. “I thought she was mixing speeds really well and just inducing groundballs. If you can do that, we’ll make plays for you. And so it’s just trusting that, believing that we can do that. And she was just feeding us really well.”

The OU coach also had high praise for freshman Allyssa Parker, but she raved about Deal’s brief cameo.

“Seeing KD today was just, grabbed my heart because that’s her and her energy and all of that,” Gasso said. “… KD, I'm trusting this. I think we all believe — we know she's better than what she has been showing, and so today was very important, and she looked like the old KD today. And so I'm trusting and hoping that this is her turning point.”

Gasso and interim pitching coach Karlie Keeney have virtually every option at their disposal to start against the Golden Hurricane.

Lowry and Guachino are projected to start two of the weekend’s three games against Auburn, so OU can roll out Deal or Berzon in an effort to continue to build confidence, or Parker could get the ball in an in-state battle.

Regardless of the decision in the circle, the Sooners’ offense will be there to offer plenty of run support.

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OU has hit a nation-best 103 home runs, and 11 players are hitting better than .400, with no player hitting worse than .325.

“It’s very hard (facing our hitters),” Guachion said. “But I think being able to do that in practice helps us a lot as pitchers coming into SEC play because we’re going to face some… I mean, everyone’s elite, but they’re really elite.

“Just facing them will help us a lot and it’s going to be very hard for people in SEC play, too.”

First pitch against Tulsa is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., and the contest will air on SEC Network+.