OU Softball: Oklahoma's Kierston Deal Was 'In a Zone' to Shut Down Texas

NORMAN — Kierston Deal solved Oklahoma’s No. 2 pitcher dilemma — at least against Texas.

The junior left-hander set the tone early and was on pace to shut out the No. 2-ranked Longhorns for the first time all year until a seventh inning homer busted up the shutout.

“To see KD step up the way she did was so huge for our team, our pitching staff. It was fun to watch her,” OU coach Patty Gasso said after the 7-2 win. “It’s hard to get in a zone. And when you see somebody in a zone, it’s kind of awesome to watch. You could see her in that place.”

Deal breezed through the first inning, needing just 11 pitches, then she worked out of a jam in the second.

An error at third combined with a Katie Stewart single to put a pair on for Texas with just one out.

And that’s when Deal announced to everyone at Love’s Field, not just Gasso, that she was locked in.

Deal bowed up and fired two strikeouts to end the inning.

From there, the No. 3-ranked Sooners seized momentum and never let it go.

The atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic — 4,538 fans clung to every pitch and booed Mike White relentlessly — but Deal knew she was going to have a strong outing long before arriving at the ballpark.

“It kind of started even before we warmed up,” she said. “We had a really good film session and Coach (Jennifer) Rocha made me feel really prepared for this game. And trusting my pitches and trusting our defense and our hitters. I could feel it coming before the game started and just being able to stay in that rhythm, in that zone, it really helps.”

From there, Deal stuck to the game plan.

“Really just mixing speeds and keeping them off balance was the biggest thing,” Deal said. “Not staying in the same area at the same time, mixing up their at bats and everything like that.”

Deal’s had an up-and-down season so far.

She struggled in outings against South Carolina and Alabama, but pitched her best game of the year on March 29 to beat Tennessee.

Despite giving up a pair of hits in the seventh inning with a 7-0 lead, her showing against Texas outdid her strong work last month against Tennessee.

“I just really wanted to see — we all really wanted to see — her on the mound tonight,” Gasso said. “… It was tremendous. I can't overstate what a good hitting team they are. They're all tough outs. Lefties, slappers, they've got speed. They've got power. They've got a little bit of everything.

“To shut them down the way she did through seven was huge for all of us."

The Sooners now have a chance to sweep the Longhorns, and build on their lead atop the SEC.

Sam Landry will likely get the ball to close the series on Sunday, but Oklahoma will need Saturday’s version of Deal to outlast all challengers at the Women’s College World Series.

“That’s the great news,” Gasso said. “Once you know how to get (in the zone), you’ll get back there.”