It’s OU-Texas week

[SoonerGirl1201]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Totally love your comments Tropical. Agree about the closer role. Against texas we will see if Patty/Jenn feel like calling the game loose or conservative. I highly doubt we see the merry go round of players in Austin that we have seen up to this point. I figure unless our starter pitcher starts having trouble after seeing the lineup for the 3rd time, they will stay in and so will all of our starters (for fielding and batting).

I'm just as anxious to see how the coaches call the game as I am to see how our players respond. One thing I'm really starting to appreciate this year is the shear experience of excellent players like Jayda, Tiare, Alyssa, Kinzie, Torres and even Maxwell and May. I think having that senior experience is what is going to really make the difference this year. Hoping to be proven right in Austin.

[TN Sooner]

I watched a good bit of the osu/Texas series. Despite our discussion here of the Texas weakness on defense, I was surprised how often it raised its head - not always errors (tho there were some scored errors), but just a lack of crispness by their defense. A ground ball that is going to be a close play, but a bobble or a boot or a slightly errant throw means it is not a close play.

The other question mark - is Texas offense not as good as their numbers or is Lexi Kilfoyl really that good? Texas came in scoring 9+ runs per game and Lexi held them to almost nothing over 2 games.

Was Texas looking ahead to OU? If so, major error and lapse of judgement on their part.

I feel the psyche of Texas is vulnerable and if the Sooners can pounce on them early Friday, I like my chances for a sweep.

Finally - Friday/Saturday are both on linear ESPN channels, but Sunday is listed by OU as ESPN+. I’m surprised it is not on Longhorn network. However, i don’t know if we can access it with our ESPN+ subscription or not. Sometimes I’ve tried to watch horn stuff on ESPN, but they require a link to a subscription to LH network, which I don’t have. Guess we’ll see.

[The Far Journey]

Totally love your comments Tropical. Agree about the closer role. Against texas we will see if Patty/Jenn feel like calling the game loose or conservative. I highly doubt we see the merry go round of players in Austin that we have seen up to this point. I figure unless our starter pitcher starts having trouble after seeing the lineup for the 3rd time, they will stay in and so will all of our starters (for fielding and batting).

I'm just as anxious to see how the coaches call the game as I am to see how our players respond. One thing I'm really starting to appreciate this year is the shear experience of excellent players like Jayda, Tiare, Alyssa, Kinzie, Torres and even Maxwell and May. I think having that senior experience is what is going to really make the difference this year. Hoping to be proven right in Austin.

Agree, Sooner Girl, with the starters remaining in the game to the end. Only exceptions might be Hodge and Coor coming in late as defensive replacements. Either way, it seems like the serious season is upon us.

[TN Sooner]

[ohiosooner#1]

Coach Gasso is experimenting to determine who is the right person to close/relieve. In my view that is why she often changes in the middle of an inning so the reliever feels that pressure/experience. Would I have preferred to have won Saturday 7-0, of course but 7-3 is still a win and the players and coaches learned from those 3 runs we gave up.

This is all about getting ready for the post season. In the post season the starting rotation and the reliever(s) will know their role. You don't get that through any means other than on the field. The coaches will know in May who is our best bet. We will a national championship in May/June not in March/April.

Ideally we want to be ranked #1 at the end of the season; although that is somewhat meaningless since geography plays a role in where teams are sent/slotted in the tournament.

We need to trust, and prepare for the games that matter. And no one does it better than Coach Gasso.

[TropicalSooner]

The middle game on Saturday Night at 7pm is on national TV--ESPN.

Who do we think pitches that game?
Maxwell?
May?
Deal?

Personally, I think Maxwell probably gives us the best shot at winning a pitching duel on national TV. But Patty lately has been leading Maxwell in game one of a series.

Thoughts?

[TN Sooner]

I’ve given up trying to figure out what Patty/Jen will do with SP’s. I will say that I doubt the game being on ESPN will make any difference in what they will do. I know this - the most important game is the first 1, so whoever Patty/Jen think gives OU the best chance is going to start Friday. If you listen to Patty’s post-game interviews with Plank (when she does them), she LOVES a series opening win.

[OU_Tom]

I don't have any tickets, but I'll meet up for a beer. Send me a private message.

I usually get tickets but I wasn't paying attention when they went on sale this year. I do plan on wandering over there one day just to watch the game for a bit. You used to get an excellent view standing there and watching the game while looking over the outfield wall

[humblesooner]

Following up on Eman's comment -
My son-in-law is a Horn fan and our family, including my 10 tear-old granddaughter, are all softball fans.
I've been watching more Texas games than normal recently.
They have issues with fielding and have had for several years. Drives the S-I-L crazy with what I call unforced errors.
Don't know if it is a talent issue or a Mike White/staff issue.
But, it has been consistent for several years.

[SoonerGirl1201]

I’ve given up trying to figure out what Patty/Jen will do with SP’s. I will say that I doubt the game being on ESPN will make any difference in what they will do. I know this - the most important game is the first 1, so whoever Patty/Jen think gives OU the best chance is going to start Friday. If you listen to Patty’s post-game interviews with Plank (when she does them), she LOVES a series opening win.

I agree with this - I think the 1st game win sets the tone for the series, so I'm expecting to see Maxwell first game on Fri and then probably May in game 2. OSU pithed Kilfoyl 2 times (1st game and 3rd game) so who knows, would it surprise me to see Maxwell out there again on Sunday if she shuts them down on Fri? No, but I think perhaps Patty tries Deal and has a quick trigger to pull her for Maxwell and/or May on Sunday - especially if we win the first 2.

[AustinTXSooner]

Following up on Eman's comment -
My son-in-law is a Horn fan and our family, including my 10 tear-old granddaughter, are all softball fans.
I've been watching more Texas games than normal recently.
They have issues with fielding and have had for several years. Drives the S-I-L crazy with what I call unforced errors.
Don't know if it is a talent issue or a Mike White/staff issue.
But, it has been consistent for several years.

At least since White has been there, Texas has always been suspect in the field. I haven't seen them this year, but Mia Scott has always been an error waiting to happen.

We have one person with 3 errors to lead our team. Texas has 6 players with that many or more. Martinez has 9, Washington has 6, Scott has 5. Texas has 38 errors on the year for a .961 fielding percentage. We have 13 errors for .985. They just don't put a priority on fielding.

[BudaSooner]

Well, with 4 innings completed so far, the score is 2-0, and Maxwell is throwing very well.

Now let's get a few more insurance runs, ladies!

[BudaSooner]

REQUEST ANSWERED! Jayda with the 3 run dinger with two out! 5-0 Sooners!!!!!

And the Texas 2nd baseman dropped a can of corn that would've been the 3rd out, Brito aboard 2nd base, still OU batting!!!
Jennings singled, but Parker and Torres fouled out and flied out to end the inning.

Still, I love that 5-0 score!

[BudaSooner]

Well, Maxwell's no-hitter is now gone after a 2 out bloop single to short left field, but she retired the next batter to retire the side. OU 5-0 after 5 complete innings.

[humblesooner]

Following up on Eman's comment -
My son-in-law is a Horn fan and our family, including my 10 tear-old granddaughter, are all softball fans.
I've been watching more Texas games than normal recently.
They have issues with fielding and have had for several years. Drives the S-I-L crazy with what I call unforced errors.
Don't know if it is a talent issue or a Mike White/staff issue.
But, it has been consistent for several years.

At least since White has been there, Texas has always been suspect in the field. I haven't seen them this year, but Mia Scott has always been an error waiting to happen.

We have one person with 3 errors to lead our team. Texas has 6 players with that many or more. Martinez has 9, Washington has 6, Scott has 5. Texas has 38 errors on the year for a .961 fielding percentage. We have 13 errors for .985. They just don't put a priority on fielding.

Well, unlike Texas teams recently, we did not see a flurry of errors. Though they did make a couple. On Saturday, the blooper that scored our run is a typical Horn error. But, what was our freshman on second base thinking? When we saw the ball drop, I looked up and Kasidi was about 15 ft from 2nd base. Just a mental error that Patty let her know about. I commented at the time that the second run there might be very important. Would have at least extended the game. Missed opportunities.
I thought Gutierrez pitched a great game Saturday and you just have to give her props.
The Sunday game appeared to be one of those "these things happen" games. I was hoping the Ragin' Cajun game was that game for this year.
The bats just went cold at the wrong time. Pitching was as good as we could expect. We gave up 2 runs in each game to a top 5 team. Those have to be wins for any top 25 team, but especially, the #1 team. We hit in to a lot of bad luck (hit right at them) on Sunday.
This team has a great chemistry. Pitching staff is as good as it gets. I would bet they won't lose again before the post-season. And if they do lose another one, they most certainly won't lose another series. Shake it off, be upset that the down weekend was against Texas and move on to Wichita.