Off topic: Women's softball

[AdaSooner]

If you have not seen the OU women's softball team this year, you're missing what has to be one of the best (if not the best) and most exciting teams in college softball history.

Following their nail-biting come from behind win in the bottom of the 12th inning in last night's finals matchup with Tennessee, the Sooners are now one victory away from a WCSC championship. You don't have to be a softball fan or a fan of women's sports to appreciate great athletes who are on a mission to win the title for the university as well as the state of Oklahoma. The OU logo on their uniform has been replaced with a patch that reads "Home."

I have been glued to the television several times in the last couple of weeks, and I'll be there again in tonight's second game of the series at 7:00 p.m. (CT) on ESPN. I'm telling you, these gals are good! OU has been ranked #1 since the season began. When you see them play, you'll know why this team was picked to win it all this year.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Nice post!

Sooner magic is alive and kicking! What a game that was last night

 

[SoonerTraveler]

I was at the game and it was a great place to be. Lots of tension. Lots of drama. College softball is a fun sport to watch.

A Sooner fan just has to admire that "never give up" attitude that this team has. Tennessee exhibited the same passion and determination. It was a wonderful battle between two talented and well coached teams.

I hope the weather cooperates and the game tonight is played as scheduled.

It should be another battle. I hope we witness a joyful "dog pile" at the ballpark tonight!

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Also, I think Keilani Ricketts would have excelled as a basketball power forward. She is very skilled. Very athletic. She is every bit of 6'2.

There are 4 seniors on the softball team:

Turang, Brianna, OF ... SR, Corona, Calif. (Santiago HS)
Shults, Jessica,C ... SR, Valencia, Calif. (Hart HS)
Ricketts, Keilani, LHP ... SR, San Jose, Calif. (Archbishop Mitty HS)
Gascoigne, Michelle, LHP ... SR, Benicia, Calif. (Benicia HS)

 

[Swans]

Let's just hope we don't have the same bad luck weather situation we had last year. We should be going for back to back.

 

[AdaSooner]

Also, I think Keilani Ricketts would have excelled as a basketball power forward. She is very skilled. Very athletic. She is every bit of 6'2.

There are 4 seniors on the softball team:

Turang, Brianna, OF ... SR, Corona, Calif. (Santiago HS)
Shults, Jessica,C ... SR, Valencia, Calif. (Hart HS)
Ricketts, Keilani, LHP ... SR, San Jose, Calif. (Archbishop Mitty HS)
Gascoigne, Michelle, LHP ... SR, Benicia, Calif. (Benicia HS)

No doubt our four seniors will be missed, but we'll still have the nucleus for another great team next year. Gasso continues to take full advantage of OU's California connection.

Trav, can you think of anyone in women's sports (aside from the elite track stars) faster than Brianna Turang? She puts so much pressure on opposing defenses, she is a treat to watch. I have never seen a player turn a hit just over the third baseman's glove into a double before like she did last night. The 11.6 seconds she took to round the bases in the UW game was nothing short of amazing.

 

[skyvue]

Glad you created this thread, Ada. I've been watching throughout the World Series, and it's been a delight to follow this team. Last night was one of the most exciting Sooner wins I've ever watched -- in any sport.

Brianna Turang's my favorite player on the team (though it's a tough call). I was amazed when she managed to score on a bunt (her own bunt, that is) after a UT throwing error. I've never seen anything like that.

I felt (still feel) that Coach Gasso really blew it in not letting Brianna head for home in the third inning last night. She had a head of steam and, I think, would have beaten a throw to the plate. I feared she'd come to regret that decision, but thankfully, it all worked out.

I had trouble sleeping after that game and am paying for it today, but no regrets.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Glad you created this thread, Ada. I've been watching throughout the World Series, and it's been a delight to follow this team. Last night was one of the most exciting Sooner wins I've ever watched -- in any sport.

Brianna Turang's my favorite player on the team (though it's a tough call). I was amazed when she managed to score on a bunt (her own bunt, that is) after a UT throwing error. I've never seen anything like that.

I felt (still feel) that Coach Gasso really blew it in not letting Brianna head for home in the third inning last night. She had a head of steam and, I think, would have beaten a throw to the plate. I feared she'd come to regret that decision, but thankfully, it all worked out.

I had trouble sleeping after that game and am paying for it today, but no regrets.

Sky you took the words right out of my mouth with those last 2 paragraphs. I agree she should have sent Turang home and was really thinking we would regret that especially when Tennessee hit the big 3 run HR. Then somehow we went into "Barry Switzer Beast mode" (no disrespect intended to the women because they are not beasts, more beauty than anything ; just using a phrase to describe how we played the last 1.5 innings) and Sooner Magic was alive and well. Next thing I know we snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Thank goodness for that good old Oklahoma wind that affected Keilani's fly ball which Tennessee dropped and she was able to make it to 2nd base! That was what started it all.

I couldn't sleep last night either. I'm hoping tonight is like the Texas game and a run-rule after 5 so I can get to bed at a decent time. However, I will take a win any way you slice it.:ez-laugh:

I love this time of year with womens softball and the baseball team. I'd love to see the baseball team advance to the CWS by beating LSU this weekend.

And, honestly, if we can beat Tennessee either tonight or tomorrow night it will be nice to have beaten an SEC team to win a championship! Seems like we lose to that conference more than any other when something is on the line!

 

[AdaSooner]

Glad you created this thread, Ada. I've been watching throughout the World Series, and it's been a delight to follow this team. Last night was one of the most exciting Sooner wins I've ever watched -- in any sport.

Brianna Turang's my favorite player on the team (though it's a tough call). I was amazed when she managed to score on a bunt (her own bunt, that is) after a UT throwing error. I've never seen anything like that.

I felt (still feel) that Coach Gasso really blew it in not letting Brianna head for home in the third inning last night. She had a head of steam and, I think, would have beaten a throw to the plate. I feared she'd come to regret that decision, but thankfully, it all worked out.

I had trouble sleeping after that game and am paying for it today, but no regrets.

You're right, Sky, that game would never have gone into extra innings if Gasso had continued to wave Brianna around third base.

No way the cutoff, who has just received the ball from the outfield, could have thrown her out, even with a perfect throw. I have a feeling Coach Gasso knew she made a mistake by waving Turang on, and then putting up the stop sign to hold her at third. I would give 100-1 odds that little girl would have outrun the ball to home plate with a full head of steam already in motion. She's that fast.

Anyway, I'm just glad it worked out, otherwise there would be a lot of second-guessing about Coach Gasso's decision on that play.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

I posted the following on the women's BB board, but it is equally relevant on this threed:

And I am thinking that Gasso was influenced by just that (her failure to give Turang the green iight in the third) in the 11th inning, when she allowed first Martinez to go for third base (barely made it) then Parsons to try to stretch the double into a triple. She, of course, was thrown out easily.

Gasso probably was ruminating throughout the game about the lost opportunity with Turang in the third inning, probably thinking that as good as Renfroe was pitching, it would have been better to "seize the moment" because the next batter is likely out...

Who knows? Had Gasso held Parsons at second, would Turang have knocked her in with two out? We don't know, but Turang in the bottom of the eleventh as leadoff with no outs, delivered a chopper over Chavanne.

I think that Gasso decided that she had been too cautious in the third inning and decided to go for it in the later innings when the opportunity presented itself... All speculation, of course...

I just hope that the thunderstorms hold off until the game is over with, or that we run-rule the Vols.

Not betting on the latter, though.

Weather.com is forecasting 30% chance of precipitation and thunderstorms beginning at 9PM. Their hourly forecast frequently slides to the right, though, depending on how hard the Oklahoma wind is pushing the storm fronts...

 

[OKUman]

I agree with all the above, surprise, disbelieve, xcitement, happy all at the same time. What a ball game, and some real "Sooner Magic". If someone who knows Softball could just tell me how a ball thrown by a lefty that starts out to the right off the home plate and curves about 12 more inches can be called a strike. Those pitches ended up on the chalk line for the inside batters box for right handers. The ump called that ball a strike for the Tenn pitcher through out the game. It just could not be called a strike unless they want the OU batters out and called it that way. I am a person who normally thinks the refs are out to get us and tonight I think we saw an example of them trying. If that pitch is not called, and the Tenn pitcher had to bring it more over the plate, this game would have been over in 7 innings or less.li

 

[nikebasketball]

Who is the Sophmore that is a All American? or am i mistaken?

 

[AdaSooner]

Who is the Sophmore that is a All American? or am i mistaken?

Lauren Chamberlain is the sophomore All-American. She was also one of two candidates for National Player of the Year on his team, an honor won by senior, Keilani Ricketts. Ricketts was named NPOY last season as well.

Chamberlain is the one who hit a home run in the bottom of the 12th last night, her 30th this season.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

... Trav, can you think of anyone in women's sports (aside from the elite track stars) faster than Brianna Turang? She puts so much pressure on opposing defenses, she is a treat to watch. I have never seen a player turn a hit just over the third baseman's glove into a double before like she did last night. The 11.6 seconds she took to round the bases in the UW game was nothing short of amazing.

Brianna is quick as lightning and she puts tremendous pressure on the opposing team's defense. She makes things happen, but so do others on the team. Give credit to Tennessee for being so competitive, and almost winning the game.

But give tons of credit to the Sooners as they fought back for the win.

 

[sybarite]

Lauren Chamberlain (soph) and Keilani Ricketts (Sr.) were first-team All-Americans. Breanna Turang (Sr) and Shelby Pendley (soph) were second team All-Americans. Lauren and Keilani were two of the three finalists for National Player of the Year. The third was Raven Chavonne, the Tennessee leadoff hitter who was hitting 459 on the year with only eight strikeouts. Keilani struck her out four times last night, and she was 0 for 6. Shelby was Big Twelve POY, and Keilani was the Big Twelve pitcher of the year. Is that all confusing?

 

[AdaSooner]

Lauren Chamberlain (soph) and Keilani Ricketts (Sr.) were first-team All-Americans. Breanna Turang (Sr) and Shelby Pendley (soph) were second team All-Americans. Lauren and Keilani were two of the three finalists for National Player of the Year. The third was Raven Chavonne, the Tennessee leadoff hitter who was hitting 459 on the year with only eight strikeouts. Keilani struck her out four times last night, and she was 0 for 6. Shelby was Big Twelve POY, and Keilani was the Big Twelve pitcher of the year. Is that all confusing?

Good stuff, Syb! I knew Pendley was the Big 12 POY, but I didn't know she and Turang were 2nd team AA.

I think the honors these players received supports my opinion that this is one of, if not the best teams in women's college softball history. It would be a shame if they fail to win it all this year. But after last night's miracle, my gut tells me that OU will walk away with the championship trophy before the night is over.

 

[nikebasketball]

So Lauren Chamberlain will have a chance as the best college player for the next 2 years?

 

[sybarite]

Let's add to that list of OU stars:

1. One of the ten finalists for National Player of the Year is this year's NCAA ERA champion, (and tonight's starter), Michelle Gascoigne.

2. The Big Twelve career leader for home runs is Jessica Shults with 61.

3. Of course, Lauren now has 60 as a sophomore.

 

[nikebasketball]

Lauren Chamberlain is a beast.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Good stuff, Syb! I knew Pendley was the Big 12 POY, but I didn't know she and Turang were 2nd team AA.

I think the honors these players received supports my opinion that this is one of, if not the best teams in women's college softball history. It would be a shame if they fail to win it all this year. But after last night's miracle, my gut tells me that OU will walk away with the championship trophy before the night is over.

Honestly, they should have won last year and had the lead in the decisive game 3. Then the rains came and Keilani couldn't grip the ball and she either walked or hit a bunch of players in a row when Alabama scored 4 runs to put the game out of reach. We still almost came back to win though.

So, that little bloop double by Ricketts last night, in the 11th when we were down by 3, which was aided by the wind was karma for the weather putting the screws to us last year.