Oklahoma's Deep Roster Will Continue to Give Patty Gasso Lineup Options

The Sooners tinkered with their lineup a great deal during the opening weekend as Patty Gasso looks for the best combinations all over the field.

Oklahoma slugger Ella Parker celebrates after a hit at the 2025 WCWS. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Patty Gasso made the most of Oklahoma’s opening weekend. 

The No. 4 Sooners were able to work multiple players across the roster all over the field, including a few different names at first base. 

Ella Parker started a game on the right side of the infield, as did freshman Allyssa Parker and veteran Kasidi Pickering. 

Sophomore Sydney Barker was used in both the infield and the outfield, and Gasso said veteran catcher Isabela Emerling expressed a willingness to help out at first base if the coaching staff so desires. 

With five more games on the schedule this weekend, the Sooners will have a great opportunity to further tinker with the lineup. 

---

How to Watch OU Softball This Weekend

• Game 1: Friday vs. Montana, 11 a.m., ESPN+
• Game 2: Friday vs. New Mexico State, 2 p.m., ESPN+
• Game 3: Saturday vs. Minnesota, 10 a.m., ESPN+
• Game 4: Saturday vs. Idaho State, 1 p.m., ESPN+
• Game 5: Sunday vs. UTEP, 1 p.m., ESPN+

---

“I told them this and they really worked hard to get to this place,” Gasso said on Tuesday, “and I’m like, ‘You have to play two positions really well and you’ll hit your way into the lineup. Defense, you can come in and be a defensive replacement, but you really want to try and hit your way into the lineup. Or maybe you have that short-game speed and maybe you can steal a base for us, you can find your way in that way.’ 

“Defense is always very important to this program and these players have found themselves playing different positions. … It’s been really fun to see how athletic these guys have become, but they’ve listened to what we’ve talked about and they’ve done it. So it opens up their options tremendously.”

Ella Parker especially enjoyed OU’s opening weekend. 

After starting the season opener at first base, she played throughout the weekend in the outfield, and she saved the Sooners a run from right field at one point. 

Though Parker has mainly been used as the designated player throughout her Oklahoma career, Gasso said she’s more than willing to play all over the field. Parker just needed to get healthy again. 

---

Read More OU Softball

• Why OU Wanted Karlie Keeney to Step in as Interim Pitching Coach for Jennifer Rocha
• How Oklahoma's Gabbie Garcia's Team USA Experience Elevated her Game
• What Fueled Audrey Lowry's hot Start to the Season?

---

“She doesn’t want to sit and watch,” Gasso said. “Once her shin splints started to heal, she started working out in the outfield. She’s quick and her arm strength has improved immensely. 

“… She’s very athletic, she’s just, there’s always been something nagging on her that hasn’t allowed her to really experience where she is right now, so I feel very confident with her.”

The Sooners will open the weekend with contests against Montana (11 a.m., ESPN+) and New Mexico State (2 p.m., ESPN+) on Friday in Las Cruces, NM. 

Then OU will turn around and take on Minnesota on Saturday (10 a.m., ESPN+) and Idaho State (1 p.m., ESPN+) before traveling to El Paso, TX, to battle UTEP on Sunday (1 p.m., ESPN+).