Oklahoma Softball: OU's Title Experience Could be X-Factor in National Championship
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Sooners have returned to a familiar stage.
Patty Gasso’s top-seeded Oklahoma squad staved off elimination against UCLA on Monday to punch its ticket back to the WCWS championship series.
The Sooners have emerged as college softball’s modern dynasty, as 2022 marks the third year in a row Oklahoma (57-3) has made it to the championship series, and OU has played for the National Championship in seven of the last 10 years.
In contrast, the Texas Longhorns (47-20-1) are here for the first time.
How to Watch:
WCWS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Oklahoma vs. Texas
- Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
- Thursday, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2
- Friday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN (if necessary)
Mike White’s ‘Horns are 6-0 in elimination games throughout this NCAA Tournament, resulting in Texas becoming the first unseeded team to advance to the best-of-three title series since the WCWS moved to the championship series format.
Texas has the feel of playing with house money, and Gasso expects there will be an emphasis on a fast start to Wednesday’s Game 1.
“I think both teams are working to kind of get on the board quickly, set the tone quickly,” Gasso said on Tuesday. “But I like the idea that we have this experience and we've been here and done that before.”
Oklahoma has dealt with outside pressure all year long.
The defending champs have thrived as the wire-to-wire No. 1-ranked team this year.
Read More WCWS Championship Series Coverage:
Despite bringing back most of the core that beat Florida State for the National Championship last year, Gasso had the team focus on wiping that experience to embark on a new journey this year. And that mentality has allowed the 2022 Sooners to play free in the face of the massive expectations.
“We knew this is a new journey, a new road that we're going to have to keep grinding and trusting in our preparation to get here,” OU sophomore second baseman Tiare Jennings said on Tuesday. “We're playing for our seniors, you're playing to have their back, and to find the ultimate goal.
“That's pretty much what our goal was this season was just stick together, find our why, and just stick together and going out there and competing.”
Super seniors Jocelyn Alo, Lynnsie Elam, Taylon Snow and Jana Johns have all been around the block with the Sooners. Alo and Elam have been at Oklahoma since the beginning, experiencing all the highs and lows of their four postseason runs at OU.
Snow and Johns both transferred into Norman, but played a major role in last year’s championship series.
The experience from all four of those veteran leaders will be essential to the new pieces on Gasso’s roster.
OU’s fifth super senior, pitcher Hope Trautwein, has starred in her first NCAA Tournament action at Oklahoma, but has yet to feel the pressure of the WCWS championship series.
Left fielder Alyssa Brito transferred to OU from Oregon this year, and was a big piece of OU’s regular season success against the ‘Horns.
Jordy Bahl, the NFCA Freshman of the Year, was the ace of the Sooner pitching staff all year. Due to a late-season injury, Bahl has only made two appearances in the postseason, both at the WCWS.
As the trio of Oklahoma newcomers prepare for their first appearance in the championship series, Trautwein said her teammates have been a great resource in preparing her for what to expect come Wednesday night.
“This team has a lot of experience,” said Trautwein on Tuesday, “and that has definitely helped me and (Alyssa Brito) and Jordy out a lot, just taking after the footsteps of these guys who have been here and won this before.
“Really the Champ Series, yes, it does mean a lot, but we can't treat it like that. We have to treat it like any other game because, I mean, it really is another game that I have to perform.
“I don't have to do anything different than what I have been doing. I'm just trying to do my best and leave it all out on the field.”
The Sooners will have a chance to move within one game of the program’s sixth national title on Wednesday at Hall of Fame Stadium.
First pitch between OU and Texas is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Regardless of the adversity Oklahoma faces in the championship series, Gasso said the bond her team has formed this year will help propel the Sooners to deliver at the biggest point in the season.
“We understand what's in front of us,” Gasso said. “It's a very tight-knit group, and that is very important on these big stages.
“If they're a group that doesn't care for each other or they're infighting going on, it just doesn't work. This group has been arm-in-arm from the beginning, and I think that has been a big difference-maker for us.”
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.