Patty Gasso on Oklahoma's New-Look Pitching Staff: 'We’re Going to be Really Good'

As Patty Gasso's 2026 Sooners get underway this fall, the legendary coach is excited about the offseason additions to Oklahoma's pitching staff.

Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN — Patty Gasso is excited about her 2026 pitching staff. 

Sam Landry and Isabella Smith graduated following the 2025 campaign, but the Sooners reloaded around an already solid core of pitchers. 

Kierston Deal and Audrey Lowry return, and Sophia Bordi, who was rated the top pitcher in her class, is expected to return as well. 

Reliever Paytn Monticelli transferred to LSU, but Gasso and OU associate head coach and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha added several talented arms both through high school recruiting and the transfer portal. 

“We’re going to be really good,” Gasso said in an interview on 107.7 The Franchise. “I’ll say that right now. We’re going to be really good. I think our pitching is really going to be staff-oriented. We have really great pieces that can fit so there’s not one pitcher that has to carry the load.”

Oklahoma added a pair of experienced SEC arms out of the portal. 

Gasso and Rocha added former LSU star Sydney Berzon, who was a two-time All-American for the Tigers. 

Former LSU pitcher Sydney Berzon transferred to Oklahoma this offseason. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

In 2025, Berzon wen’t 18-8 for LSU, posting a 2.46 ERA in 139 1/3 innings and 30 total appearances. Her career-best ERA (1.78) came in 2024, and she struck out 185 batters as a sophomore. 

The Sooners also added right-hander Miali Guachino from Ole Miss. 

She started 26 games as a freshman last year, and finished the year with a 3.65 ERA and struck out 160 batters while allowing 78 walks across 136 innings. 

“They’re really good and I just know what Jen Rocha can do,” Gasso said. “And sometimes a pitcher may not have a great experience at their last school, or they’ve been injured or what have you, and they come here and they get a new start and they look happy.

“They’re having fun. They are injury-free. Their ball moves tremendously. The change of speed is what our staff is going to be a little more efficient and effective with.”

 Gasso also raved about her freshmen. 

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Pocola, OK, product Allyssa Parker was rated the No. 1 pitcher in the 2025 class after Bordi’s reclassification, and Berkley Zache ended as the No. 5 pitcher in the 2025 class. 

“We’ve got Berkley Zache, the sister of Riley, who really throws you off,” Gasso said. “I mean she can throw the ball upper 60’s and then throw this nasty changeup for a strike at any time and it’s awesome.”

Deal pitched 77 2/3 innings last year and finished with a 3.42 ERA, and Lowry threw 43 innings with a 3.09 ERA to round out Rocha’s staff. 

“This is really going to be fun,” Gasso said. “I’m really excited about the pitching staff more than anything.”

Fans can get their first look at the 2026 Sooners during this fall’s Battle Series, which gets underway on Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Love’s Field.