OU Softball: How a Bedlam Series Loss Became the 'Turning Point' in Oklahoma's Season

OKLAHOMA CITY — After dropping the first two games of its series against Oklahoma State, Oklahoma had to take a look in the mirror.

With the regular season winding down in early May, the Sooners had six losses and had lost series against their two biggest rivals, Texas and OSU.

Coming off of three straight national championships, some fans started to wonder whether the team's reign of dominance was over, but OU was able to bounce back and change the course of its season in Game 3 against the Pokes.

"I feel like OSU series was a turning point, that Sunday we carried into the postseason," senior third baseman Alyssa Brito said on Wednesday. "I know that was a grind. Just having Kelly (Maxwell)'s back and other things like that. But also, I don't know, I think that day specifically we focused on celebrating one another."

While the Sooners had been able to stay within arm's reach of Oklahoma State early in the first two games of the series, the team's relief pitchers faltered down the stretch.

In Game 1, sophomore left-hander Kierston Deal faced six batters, allowing three runs in just 2/3 innings in the circle. Maxwell, an OSU transfer, struggled in relief in the second game of the series, allowing three runs in just one inning in the circle.

With the Sooners' final regular season game coming in the series finale against Oklahoma State, Patty Gasso's team decided to let loose in Game 3 against the Pokes, making the contest a memorable day for the seniors on the squad.

In the series finale, Tiare Jennings, Kasidi Pickering and Ella Parker all hit home runs, helping lead Oklahoma to an 8-2 victory.

"From then on, that's what we've treated this entire rest of the season and this chapter of what we're writing here. Just celebrating the moments that we have," Brito said. "For some of us, the three here (Kinzie Hansen, Maxwell and Brito), this is our last. For us, it's cherishing these moments that we get to play on the field together. Also making that impact, that lasting impact, not only for the program, but for our team.

"Leaving our sisters better than we found them, I think that's kind of what we felt from that series and that Sunday, that Senior Day that we really had. It was special 'cause it kind of flipped that mindset of not pressing or being something we're not and just being who we are and celebrating and having fun in these moments."

OU used its victory over then-No. 4 Oklahoma State as a springboard into the postseason. Just four days after taking down OSU, the Sooners demolished Kansas 10-1 before knocking off BYU 13-2 in five innings and taking down Texas 5-1 in the Big 12 Tournament Championship.

Oklahoma followed up its impressive showing in the conference tournament by taking down Cleveland State and Oregon at the Norman Regional and Florida State at the Norman Super Regional to give the Sooners their eighth consecutive Women's College World Series berth.

Now, led by veterans like Hansen, Brito, Jennings, Maxwell, Jayda Coleman, Nicole May and others, OU is in search of a remarkable fourth consecutive national title. With both Texas and Oklahoma State also in the Women's College World Series field, however, OU has a tough road ahead in the Modern Frontier.

Gasso and company will play their first game of the WCWS on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. when the Sooners take on Duke at Devon Park, formerly USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, in Oklahoma City.