All the elements were there for OU softball to have a big weekend. But just because it feels like it should happen, doesn’t mean it will.
In this case, though, it did. That was the type of weekend OU thought it could have and the weekend it did. The Sooners wrapped up a dominant three-game sweep of visiting Houston with a 5-0 victory Sunday afternoon at Love’s Field.
Sophomore Kierston Deal was magnificent once again. Coming off a six-inning no-hitter Tuesday, Deal went the full seven innings this time. She allowed just two hits, one walk and struck out 10. Deal is now 10-1 this season.
Houston’s bats were supposed to give the Sooners trouble. Instead, the Cougars scored just two runs in the entire series.
The OU offense still stubbed its toes a few times, but Alyssa Brito came through with a big two-run triple to get things going in the first. Freshman Ella Parker added an RBI double in the fifth. Brito and Parker were the lone players to have two hits.
“I think we’re trying to go back to not so much fundamentals but what our program stands for,” head coach Patty Gasso said on Saturday night. “Hustle, hard work, gritty, team, putting team first, putting others first, and there are times when those things get forgotten and respect is very important.
“Respect to each other, respect for the game, respect for the opponent, respect for your coaching staff, respect for your support staff. I mean it means something. It means something. I’m old school and I’m still old school. And I will be old school until I am done because that is what I grew up with. That is what I believe those standards still should be living in this program and so that’s kind of what we’re talking about here.”
Up next
No. 2 OU (42-4 overall, 18-3 Big 12) hits the road for the last time this season. Every other game should occur in the state of Oklahoma. The Sooners are at Central Florida for a three-game set next weekend.
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