Oklahoma's Offensive Balance has the Sooners Ready for Super Regionals

Seven of Oklahoma's nine starters posted multi-hit weekends during the Norman Regional at Love's Field.

Oklahoma senior Isabela Emerling hustles toward first after a hit against Michigan in the NCAA Tournament at Love's Field. | Carson Field / Sooners on SI

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s offense was an unrelenting battering ram in the Norman Regional. 

The Sooners outscored opponents 28-1 in three contests, with the first two games of the weekend ending as five-inning run rules. 

There was great balance up and down the lineup. 

Freshmen and seniors alike attacked the opposing pitching staff. The top of the lineup and the bottom of the lineup both did their part to overwhelm all challengers. 

Oklahoma jumped out on Binghamton in the first inning to plate four runs on Friday, then the Sooners followed that up with a three-run second on Saturday against Kansas. 

Outfielder Kai Minor and Gabbie Garcia got the party started early on Sunday against Michigan to put three runs up to immediately put the pressure on the Wolverines at Love’s Field. 

Kai Minor scores off Gabbie Garcia's single to give Oklahoma an early lead over Michigan in an NCAA Tournament contest at Love's Field. | Carson Field / Sooners on SI

“That's the thing I'm most happy about, is that we come out and we just set a tone right from the start,” OU coach Patty Gasso said after Sunday’s triumph. “And that has a lot to do with Kai and Gabbie and the hitters right behind that are ready to drive them in. 

“So when you can put three up in the first inning, you've already set a tone and try to just keep matching that along the way, every inning.”

The hitters behind the underclassmen duo didn’t disappoint. 

Seven of OU’s nine starters enjoyed multi-hit weekends. Kendall Wells was one of the two who ended with just one hit, but she also drove in a run and reached base twice with walks, and everyone in Oklahoma’s locker room is confident she’ll bounce back next weekend. 

The bottom of the Sooner lineup was particularly devastating. 

Oklahoma’s seven, eight and nine-hole hitters combined to go 9-for-21 across the weekend with seven RBIs and four walks. 

That kind of lineup depth forces opposing pitching staffs to be on in every plate appearance, and it has been a phenomenal formula for success for the Sooners. 

“A lot of us are just, we're feeling great right now, and really pouring into each other, and keeping our mindset on us,” Garcia said. “Like, continuing to build ourselves, right. Everyone has a job and a purpose, and if we can just stay focused on that, and pour into the team, and take everything one pitch at a time.”

Kasidi Pickering’s return to form has bolstered the heart of the lineup, too.

She hammered a home run against Binghamton and Kansas and has gone deep in three of the Sooners’ last five games. Pickering finished the weekend 3-for-6 with four RBIs and three walks. 

Oklahoma outfielder Kasidi Pickering crosses home plate after hammering a home run against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament at Love's Field. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Ella Parker’s weekend could have been very different as well. 

She hit three balls to the warning track, one to each field, in OU’s romp over Kansas on Saturday that all could have easily left the yard on an afternoon with friendlier wind conditions. 

The offensive showing was exactly the kind of response Gasso was looking for coming off the disappointing outing at the SEC Tournament and ahead of OU’s 16th-straight trip to Super Regionals. 

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“It’s special. It’s pretty amazing, too,” Gasso said. “Maybe not amazing, but the expectations of this program is, ‘Thank you, Michigan, and we’re moving on’ without any kind of celebration. 

“They’re almost kinda embarrassed to celebrate. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s our expectations, so we just keep moving on. I thought we played really well this weekend.”