OU Softball: Patty Gasso's Offensive Adjustment has Oklahoma Playing With 'Freedom' in the Big 12 Tournament

The No. 4-ranked Sooners embraced small ball to get back on track, sparking 18 combined runs in OU's last two games.

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

OKLAHOMA CITY — To break out of a slump, sometimes you have to go back to the basics.

Oklahoma is no exception. 

The No. 4-ranked Sooners still have as much power in the lineup as anyone in college softball, but Patty Gasso has gotten her team back on track by reverting back to her roots and playing small ball. 

Sunday, Gasso said she started putting her batters in hit-and-run scenarios against Oklahoma State to force them to attack pitchers early. 

The philosophy paid off big, sparking OU’s offense as the Sooners staved off a sweep. 

That mentality was on full display again in Oklahoma’s Big 12 Tournament opener against Kansas on Thursday. 

OU plated five runs in the first inning, capped off by a Rylie Boone steal attempt designed to coax the Jayhawks into throwing down to second base so Kinzie Hansen could steal home. 

In the second inning the Sooners scored another pair of runs with alert baserunning. 

Ella Parker scored after Alyssa Brito laid down a bunt, and later Alynah Torres pounced on a wild pitch for the Sooners to steal home again.

In total, OU raced past Kansas 10-1 in five innings to secure its spot in Friday’s semifinals.

“It's fun to coach that way,” Gasso said after the win. “It's kind of hard at times, they're such good hitters you don't want to take the bat out of their hands but they're also very good with contact. 

“They can hit bad pitches or not great pitches hard. I think we really wanted to make whoever we're playing feel that way right from the start.” 

Getting those calls in from Gasso simplifies the game for the offense, Brito said. 

“I think when you have a play like a hit-and-run on the ball it kind of does just give you a freedom to be aggressive, swinging hard,” Brito said. “And when you swing hard and put the ball in play good things happen. So definitely doing those things that we execute in practice in the game is what’s fun and that’s why you see us celebrating them really hard.”

Oklahoma was only held scoreless in the fourth inning, allowing the Sooners to continue to build on the momentum they seized in the Bedlam finale. 

Crucially, Tiare Jennings continue to work her way out of her recent slump as well. 

She hammered a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Cowgirls on Sunday, and notched another two hits on Thursday against Kansas. 

“I had a great conversation with Kinzie Hansen and Alyssa (Brito),” Jennings said on Thursday. “… Just like, ‘hey, you’re going to get it. It’s going to come, going to come.’ 

“Going through the ups and downs, but having those people in your inner circle, that’s going to keep you positive and keep you confident no matter what you’re doing.”

Entering the Big 12 Tournament, it looked as if OU would have the change to level the season series against Oklahoma State in the semifinals. 

BYU had other plans.

The Cougars upset Oklahoma State for the second time this year, capitalizing on five OSU errors to dump the No. 3-ranked Cowgirls out of the tournament. 

Oklahoma is well aware of the threat BYU poses, as the Sooners dropped the second game of the regular season series against the Big 12 newcomers 9-4 at Love’s Field on April 12. 

“We learned a lot (playing BYU previously),” Gasso said. “They can swing, they can play. They’re gamers. I know right now they’re fighting to get into the postseason. I would think they would make it because of their resume and some of their wins. 

“They’re tough outs. Our pitching staff is going to have to be really good and pinpoint things because they can cover the zone really well. They hit hard.”

The Sooners and the Cougars will meet for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game at 5 p.m. on Friday at Devon Park, formerly Hall of Fame Stadium. The contest from Oklahoma City will be broadcast on ESPN+.

“This is going to be a tough matchup,” Gasso said. “They came out and showed it against OSU. They did it to us in our series against them. 

“We know what they’re capable of. We’re going to have to be at our best.”