For the 30th time in her coaching career, Patty Gasso is coaching in an NCAA Regional. Oklahoma opened the tournament Friday night against Cleveland State, and through three innings, it was quite the pitchers’ duel.
Nicole May and Melissa Holzopfel went toe-to-toe to start the game as Oklahoma took a 1-0 lead into the top of the fourth inning. The Sooners are the No. 2 seed in the tournament, marking the first time in five years they missed out on the top overall seed.
But Gasso’s message was simple. Given the program’s record, the players know what they have to do to continue their quest for an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
To borrow a line from the late Toby Keith, she’s looking for a little less talk and a lot more action.
“They’ve been there, they’ve done that. There’s not a lot I can say anymore,” Gasso said on the ESPNU broadcast. “I know what they want, I know how they fight for it, I know what our practices look like. There’s not much to say. It’s just more about actions and doing.”
Patty Gasso assesses ‘competitive’ start to Regional
May put together another strong showing in the circle to start the game, tying her season high with seven strikeouts through four innings of action. The lone run came courtesy of Kasidi Pickering, who hit a solo home run in the second inning to put Oklahoma on the board.
Hozopfel was also putting together a good day out of the gate, entering the fourth inning with three strikeouts to her name and just the one blemish in the second inning. Gasso noted how impressive the pitching was and how Cleveland State – which hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2009 – rose to the occasion.
“Competitive,” Gasso said of the start of the game. “I think both pitchers are being very competitive. It’s a good battle down here. I’d say Cleveland State is certainly not fearful of the Sooners, and they’re playing a really good game.
“So this is a battle – good battling at-bats, good competitive pitches. It’s good right now. Tough.”
Oklahoma enters the NCAA Tournament with a 49-6 overall record and is coming off its 11th consecutive Big 12 title, and the last before the Sooners leave for the SEC next season. However, they’re the No. 2 seed in the tournament field to conference foe Texas. Still, the Regional is back in Norman this year – the first at Love’s Field.
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