Oklahoma's Jennifer Rocha Already 'Groovin'' in Return to Sooners

NORMAN — Patty Gasso tried not to make too big of a deal about pitching coach Jennifer Rocha’s return to the Oklahoma softball team last weekend.

“When she wasn’t there, I felt like something was missing,” Gasso said after Tuesday’s 12-3 win over Wichita State, Rocha’s first home game since returning. “When she came back. I just played it real cool. But man, did I feel just joy and confidence standing next to her, that she was there. Just absolutely thanking the Lord for what we really believe was a miracle to help her through this.”

Rocha has served as Gasso’s pitching coach since 2019 after playing for Gasso with the Sooners and beginning her coaching career with OU.

The two have been through plenty of highs and lows, and one of the lowest came earlier this year when Rocha was diagnosed with a rare form of cervical cancer.

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She was away from the team for the first seven weekends of the season, with Karlie Keeney returning to serve on an interim basis, before returning for last weekend’s series at LSU.

Sooners pitcher Audrey Lowry, who has emerged as the team’s ace during Rocha’s absence, said the team was buoyed by the return.

“She’s just a warm soul to have,” Lowry said. “So it’s just nice having her back in the dugout and having her presence.”

There had been talk of Rocha returning a week earlier when the Sooners went to Ole Miss, but the logistics didn’t quite work out.

But last weekend when Oklahoma went to Baton Rouge, La., pieces started falling into place.

Rocha felt a little healthier than she had a week earlier, and the Sooners were heading to LSU on a chartered plane, which made it much easier for Rocha to withstand the travel.

“We set up a little podium for her and everything,” Gasso said. “We tried to help her feel as comfortable as she could. It took a little bit of time for her to get into the groove of things.”

Rocha was thrown right into the fire, though.

In her first game back, Oklahoma trailed 1-0 heading into the seventh, scored two to take the lead, saw the game tied in the bottom half and then won 3-2 in eight innings.

“It was a fresh start for me in a lot of ways,” Rocha said. “I just was really happy to be with the team again and not watching them on TV. … I had to make sure I was recovering well after that. I’m still in a healing phase in some ways.”

Lowry got the start in that game and the sophomore said it felt “normal” having Rocha back as a calming voice.

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“It was natural,” Lowry said. “Her coming in, her coming back, we communicated with her when she was out just checking in on her. It’s good to have her back.”

Gasso reveled in the moment of Rocha getting a large ovation at Love’s Field during her first visit to the circle on the night Tuesday.

“Sooner fans know the struggle that Coach Rocha’s gone through and they appreciate it and I know they feel … a very warm feeling seeing Coach Rocha back,” Gasso said. “I know it meant a lot to her. I’m just trying to stand nearby if she needs anything, but she’s groovin’. She’s getting in that place that she left.”