Oklahoma's 'Rebound' has the Sooners on the Verge of Returning to the WCWS

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s season is on the line again on Sunday.

The Sooners responded to Friday’s defeat with a 7-1 victory, but 3-seeded OU will have to produce one more win against Mississippi State to win the Norman Super Regional and make it back to the Women’s College World Series.

The defense and pitching faltered in Friday’s shocking collapse, but Audrey Lowry settled things in the circle on Saturday and Patty Gasso’s defense produced a handful of nice plays to avoid elimination.

“The rebound has been amazing. That’s what this team can do; they turn it on a second,” Gasso said.

How to Watch Game 3 of the Norman Super Regional

When: Sunday, May 24
Where: Love's Field
When: 1:30 p.m.
Channel: ESPN

Things will be challenging for both coaching staffs on Sunday (1:30 p.m., ESPN).

Mississippi State has pitched its top two pitchers, Peja Goold and Alyssa Faircloth, plenty already this weekend.

On the other hand, the Bulldog offense has seen Lowry on both Friday and Saturday, and OU also pitched Miali Guachino and Sydney Berzon in Friday’s loss.

Oklahoma also saw Mississippi State reliever Delainey Everett on Friday, and both lineups will feel confident that they have an advantage on the opposing pitching staff on Sunday.

“It’s definitely really good knowing that we’ve seen all their pitching,” OU freshman Lexi McDaniel said after Oklahoma’s win on Saturday. “But just kind of like preparing for the plan against each pitcher tomorrow and coming out strong.”

Oklahoma Sooners, Lexi McDaniel — Oklahoma freshman Lexi McDaniel celebrates after rocketing a home run in the third inning against Mississippi State in the Norman Super Regional. | Carson Field / Sooners on SI

The Sooners can reach a 10th-straight WCWS with a win on Sunday, and while they’ll have the Love’s Field crowd behind them, Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts believes her team can play carefree on Sunday.

“There is no pressure on us. Nobody expects us to (reach the WCWS),” Ricketts said on Saturday. “I think all the pressure is in their dugout and that was really the approach and the mindset yesterday that maybe we got a little bit away from today.

“Because we know that nobody is going to pick us. We don’t want them to pick us. Good. That’s kind of been our message all year long.”

Oklahoma Sooners, Patty Gasso, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Samantha Ricketts — Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso meets with Mississippi State coach Samantha Ricketts before the teams' Super Regional matchup in Norman. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Gasso was much happier with the approach on Saturday, and she hopes her team will bring that look again in Sunday’s do-or-die Super Regional finale.

“There was a commitment (Friday) night that we were going to sleep well, and we were going to get this done,” Gasso said. “That is Sooners softball. We know how to come back and we don’t go like, ‘we can’t’ or ‘we don’t,’ but we do, and that’s going to be our focus tomorrow. Everything is waiting for us, and that’s important.”

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