OU Women's Softball thread

[SoonerTraveler]

James Hale interviewed Coach Gasso on KREF (AM-1400) about an hour ago. Brief summary:

Coach said she does not yet know what OU will do in the circle tonight. I got the impression it somewhat depends on how Paige Parker feels tonight when the team gets to the ballpark.

No excuses, but Coach pointed out that OU has been playing in late night games during the tournament and sometimes the team has not got to bed until 2AM. (At least last night, both teams got the same amount of rest.) Coach would prefer an off day prior to the start of the best-of-three championship series.

Hale asked about the Sooners defense and their preparation. Coach said the team works hard on defense and specific situations like the one in the 7th inning last night. She works OU's hitters against the defense so they are prepared to field hard hit balls.

In recruiting, Coach looks for athletes that can hit. She said it is easier to teach a good hitter to become a good fielder, while it is more difficult to teach a good fielder to become a good hitter. They focus on athleticism.

Coach Gasso seemed a bit stressed out. That seems natural. I can only imagine how these close, hard fought games tend to wear on the emotions of the coaching staff.

 

[usedtobe1]

Nice summary Traveler. Thanks.

It's a tough choice for Coach Gasso. Paige only threw ~ 100 pitches last night. If she pitches the 1st game tonight and throws 120 pitches and the Sooners lose, it would be tough to ask her to go again in the final game.

That's why Patti gets paid the big bucks. She has to read the emotions of the team and not give Auburn momentum. I probably wouldn't start Paige tonight. Auburn has to win that game but OU doesn't. I wouldn't want to play game 3 for all the marbles and already used up my ace.

 

[skyvue]

What a game so far for Gasso and the Sooners! 6-0, and still batting with no outs in the second! Keep that pedal to the metal, Sooners!

 

[Sooner04]

Give no quarter, Sooners. We want blood!

 

[AdaSooner]

What a game so far for Gasso and the Sooners! 6-0, and still batting with no outs in the second! Keep that pedal to the metal, Sooners!

Two suicide bunt squeezes for scores in that inning.

Myers is getting schooled by Gasso so far. That, and more than a little help from a fabulous group of underclass men.

Pour it on, Sooners!!!

 

[skyvue]

Well, this half-inning is as terrible as the last one was great. Sooners are not playing smart in the field. The left-fielder lollygagged that fly ball -- in the title game!

Five two-out runs on two freaking hits (that triple was an error all the way).

 

[usedtobe1]

I like the freshman pitcher, Chesnutt. She's around the plate and her motion is a lot less herky-jerky than Stevens.

 

[zeptrey]

Ugly...

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[Big Old Booger]

I like the freshman pitcher, Chesnutt. She's around the plate and her motion is a lot less herky-jerky than Stevens.

Chesnutt has settled down and done pretty well the last 2 innings.

 

[skyvue]

These announcers are going to be very disappointed indeed if we win tonight.

 

[AdaSooner]

Chesnutt has settled down and done pretty well the last 2 innings.

Agreed. She has the potential to be a solid option next year and beyond.

 

[Laxtothemax12]

These announcers are going to be very disappointed indeed if we win tonight.

Well...we now own the greatest collapse in WCWS history

 

[skyvue]

Well, lots of folks here got their wish. Parker sat.

Considering how hard our young players took tonight's comeback -- it took several innings for them to get any life back at all -- I'm not terribly hopeful about them quickly getting over this before tomorrow night. Auburn's got ALL the momentum.

Of course I don't know what Coach Gasso knows -- maybe Parker really was out of gas tonight. But if at all possible, I'd have gone for the kill tonight. We have seriously got our work cut out for us tomorrow now. If Parker could have pitched a couple of innings, and clearly that was the plan if we'd held (or regained) the lead, then put her in the third inning, at the very least.

Very disappointing loss. The team went so flat defensively in the bottom of the second. It was as if they thought they had it won. I'll remember Self's lackadaisical stab at the fly ball to left for a long, long time.

 

[152219]

Agreed. She has the potential to be a solid option next year and beyond.

If I am not mistaken OU has one of the best pitchers coming in next year so she will likely stay at #3. Some have wondered if Parker may end up being a co #1 with her. And the 2018 class has the #1 player in the nation coming who is a pitcher from the Houston area. The best pitcher from Texas since Cat Osterman.

 

[152219]

Well, lots of folks here got their wish. Parker sat.

Considering how hard our young players took tonight's comeback -- it took several innings for them to get any life back at all -- I'm not terribly hopeful about them quickly getting over this before tomorrow night. Auburn's got ALL the momentum.

Of course I don't know what Coach Gasso knows -- maybe Parker really was out of gas tonight. But if at all possible, I'd have gone for the kill tonight. We have seriously got our work cut out for us tomorrow now. If Parker could have pitched a couple of innings, and clearly that was the plan if we'd held (or regained) the lead, then put her in the third inning, at the very least.

Very disappointing loss. The team went so flat defensively in the bottom of the second. It was as if they thought they had it won. I'll remember Self's lackadaisical stab at the fly ball to left for a long, long time.

Self's error was a momentum turner.

 

[KBaden145]

If I am not mistaken OU has one of the best pitchers coming in next year so she will likely stay at #3. Some have wondered if Parker may end up being a co #1 with her. And the 2018 class has the #1 player in the nation coming who is a pitcher from the Houston area. The best pitcher from Texas since Cat Osterman.

How this season's team finishes will be the least of what we accomplish over the next 2-4 years. Patty really has it rolling.


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[SoonerBounce13]

MAn hindsight is 20/20 but when you are up 7-0, I'm wondering if it crossed Gasso's mind to put parker in. Even gassed, surely she could have held them under 7 runs. But I can't really fault her. She knows Parker and probably thought, hell with a 7-0 lead, surely our backup pitcher can keep them under 7.

regardless, I really hope we win tonight so we don't have to watch that home run rob every year and be reminded we were an inch from a national title but blew it

 

[Big Old Booger]

Well, lots of folks here got their wish. Parker sat.

Considering how hard our young players took tonight's comeback -- it took several innings for them to get any life back at all -- I'm not terribly hopeful about them quickly getting over this before tomorrow night. Auburn's got ALL the momentum.

Of course I don't know what Coach Gasso knows -- maybe Parker really was out of gas tonight. But if at all possible, I'd have gone for the kill tonight. We have seriously got our work cut out for us tomorrow now. If Parker could have pitched a couple of innings, and clearly that was the plan if we'd held (or regained) the lead, then put her in the third inning, at the very least.

Very disappointing loss. The team went so flat defensively in the bottom of the second. It was as if they thought they had it won. I'll remember Self's lackadaisical stab at the fly ball to left for a long, long time.

With all due respect, I don't view it that way. I think the girls know they were so close to winning without their ace and that will give them confidence tonight. Remember back in 2012, Ricketts pitched all 3 games and she was tired by game 3, so Patty didn't want to repeat that again. Patty will have them ready tonight and Parker will be rested. I think we win.

 

[scrybe]

With all due respect, I don't view it that way. I think the girls know they were so close to winning without their ace and that will give them confidence tonight. Remember back in 2012, Ricketts pitched all 3 games and she was tired by game 3, so Patty didn't want to repeat that again. Patty will have them ready tonight and Parker will be rested. I think we win.

I think you're right, Booger. But we will need to play better defensively, which, of course, we're more than capable of doing.

 

[MsProudSooner]

I suspect Parker was completely out of gas yesterday. I suspect Patty might have used her as a reliever if she thought she could go a couple of innings and if we had the lead. That wasn't the situation so it made more sense to let her rest.

Look at it this way - if you are in a winner take all situation, you want Parker as rested as possible to give yourself the best chance to win.