Top Ranked Oklahoma Firing on All Cylinders as the Sooners Enter Postseason Play
NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners aren’t done yet.
Saturday, Patty Gasso’s No. 1-ranked team wrapped up one of the most dominant regular season campaigns in the history of the sport by sweeping Oklahoma State.
The postseason has finally arrived, but the Sooners somehow seem poised to raise their level of play to new heights in pursuit of the program’s sixth National Championship.
Across three games against the No. 7-ranked Cowgirls, the Sooners won by a combined score of 18-4, even finding it within themselves to stage dramatic comeback to win Saturday’s contest.
Oklahoma’s ability to dig deep through the adversity is a major factor as to why they’ve been able to continually improve throughout the year, and is a pillar of the culture Gasso has established in Norman.
“Resilient fighters — that’s part of what we claim to have is Championship Mindset,” Gasso said after the win on Saturday. “It means we don’t quit no matter what. No matter how ahead of behind you are, you don’t stop.
“… They are just really good at responding.”
Saturday’s Bedlam finale wasn’t the only time this team has had to dig deep and find a response.
Early in the season, the Sooners fell behind to Tennessee. Instead of wilting after a tough start, true freshman pitcher Jordy Bahl returned to the game and began to impose her will, before Jayda Coleman picked up the entire team by launching a walk-off home run with OU down to its final out.
Again, the Baylor Bears had the Sooners on the ropes at Marita Hynes Field in March. It took until the final inning, but Tiare Jennings stepped in to save the day, matching Coleman by launching a two-out walk-off bomb in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Bryan Terry / The Oklahoman-USA Today Network
Bryan Terry / The Oklahoman-USA Today Network
Bryan Terry / The Oklahoman-USA Today Network
Outside of those clutch moments, OU has largely dominated its schedule.
The Sooners have notched 35 run rule victories this season, and they lead the country in both team batting average and earned run average.
But even with that, Gasso wasn’t satisfied.
Oklahoma’s head coach, renowned for her meticulous attention to detail, pushed the team to improve defensively.
Gasso’s message appears to have gotten through, as the Sooner defense has found another gear over the last two series. Jana Johns in particular has starred, stealing multiple hits from the Cowgirls this past weekend with her steady glove at third base.
“Now they’re going to different heights at the right time,” Gasso said after Thursday’s Bedlam victory. “We’re having fun with it. It looks free.
“… It’s not too high, it’s not too low. We’re not playing that emotional roller coaster game at all. We are in there knowing what our job is and they’re enjoying working together to get their outcomes.”
Now the Sooners enter the postseason will all three phases of the game firing on all cylinders.
Oklahoma can take the next step by winning this weekend’s Big 12 Tournament. They’ll face the winner of Baylor and Iowa State on Friday at 1 p.m. at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, and a win would advance the Sooners to Saturday’s Championship.
The next stage of the season has begun, and none of the regular season plaudits will matter if the Sooners don’t close out the season with a dog pile at Hall of Fame Stadium.
But as Oklahoma’s upward trajectory continues, Gasso’s lofty goal she set at the feet of her team in the preseason appears to be very much in reach.
“If my coach told me you could be the greatest softball team of all time,” Gasso said during a preseason press conference all the way back in January,
“that would make me want to play hard. That would get me fired up.”
Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the AllSooners message board community today!
Sign up for your premium membership to AllSooners.com today, and get access to the entire Fan Nation premium network!
Follow AllSooners on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest OU news.