OU Softball: Oklahoma Focused on Steady Improvement With SEC Crown on the Line

Oklahoma’s destiny is firmly in its own hands entering the last weekend of the regular season.

The No. 1-ranked Sooners’ sweep of Texas, paired with chaos across the conference, has Patty Gasso’s team in pole position as everyone chases down the SEC regular season crown.

Oklahoma (42-5, 16-5 SEC) has to win just two of its three games against the No. 9-ranked Florida Gators (41-12, 12-9) to clinch the title, and more conference cannibalization could see the Sooners win the league with just one victory.

But Gasso’s team is intent on continuing to improve themselves, because the OU coach believes her squad has started to play it’s best ball.

“The flow is good, so everything's working,” Gasso said on Tuesday. “And I feel like the lineup has really found each other. So it's passing the bat. There's no holes. I felt like we had some holes or let off the gas a bit. So I feel like the lineup is really merging well together.”

Oklahoma hit the Texas pitching staff for 23 runs last weekend, but it will have to battle another experience group of hurlers on the road.

Last year’s breakout star in the circle, Keagan Rothrock, returns from the 2024 Gators who pushed the Sooners to the brink of elimination at the Women’s College World Series.

Rothrock has pitched 88 2/3 innings this year and enters the weekend with a 3.08 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 21 walks while limiting opponents to a .251 batting average.

The Gators have also gotten steady production from Ava Brown, who leads the way with a 2.54 ERA in 82 2/3 innings pitched, and Brown has fanned 50 batters while allowing 33 walks and a .249 batting average.

Last time Oklahoma hit the road, the offense went silent in a boisterous atmosphere at Alabama.

The Sooners are confident they’ve learned the lessons of the last road trip and that they’re focused and ready to battle the Florida pitchers.

“I just think we've experienced it and now we've learned from it,” freshman shortstop Gabbie Garcia said. “Now we're going to take a different approach and instead of embracing the noise, embracing the crowd and just know we're not there to prove anything except just go and have fun and ball out.”

Tim Walton’s Florida offense can get the job done, too.

Five different hitters have hammered double-digit home runs. Former Sooner Jocelyn Erickson is enjoying another excellent season, but freshman Taylor Shumaker has stolen the show.

How to Watch Oklahoma vs. Florida

Game 1: Thursday, 5 p.m., SEC Network
Game 2: Friday, 5 p.m., SEC Network
Game 3: Saturday, 4 p.m., ESPN

She’s hitting .365, which is second on the team, and has blasted 16 home runs, hit two doubles and totaled 71 RBIs.

“They're good. Real good,” Gasso said. “Power. Speed. They're just good in every facet of the game. So it's definitely going to be a tough one for sure.”

Steady contributions from Oklahoma’s pitchers will be key, which is why Gasso is excited to take on Florida after Kierston Deal and Isabella Smith both enjoyed excellent outings against Texas to support Sam Landry.

“That's what we need. That's what we build off of,” Gasso said. “We try to score runs for them. We're trying to play defense for them. If they're on the mound fighting, good things are going to happen.

“I don't know why anyone would choose to be a pitcher. You've gotta have toughness because it's a hard thing to do… The game revolves around you. You've gotta have a cool, calm, confident style about you, and it's hard when you're in big settings to feel that all the time.”

The Sooners and the Gators will get rolling at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL, at 5 p.m. on Thursday, and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.