Oklahoma Softball at Central Florida: Key Series for the Sooners

[OUBeliever56A]

The Oklahoma Sooners travel to Orlando today to ready themselves for an important 3-game series with the Central Florida Golden Knights. The Sooners have a 42-4 record, a conference record of 18-3 (1st), ranked #2 in most every poll, and with their RPI ranking. Central Florida is 28-18 overall, a 10-11 conference record (5th) and the 35th RPI ranking. The Sooners are the best team on paper, but the games still have to be played. The reason that I feel that this series is so important is the at it is #1) on the road, #2) against a good all-around team in UCF, and #3) it proceeds the final series of the regular season against Oklahoma State and #4) the Sooners own a 1-game advantage over Texas in the conference race which is important as well.

The Golden Knights are a strong blend of offense, pitching and defense. Outside of the Big 3 (OU, TU and OSU), I think UCF is the next best blend of the three phases of the game.

In the circle, the Golden Knights two most often used pitchers, Sara Willis and Kaitlyn Felton, have a solid 2.51 combined ERA and a .240 BA Against, which might be a bit high. They do allow 1.71 bases per inning that they pitch via hits or free bases (W & HB). Katelyn Cochran (0.59 ERA in 23.2 IP), Grace Jewell (2.85 ERA in 34.1 IP) and Angelina DeVoe (3.23 ERA in 26.0 IP) does provide some additional depth for the Golden Knights staff.

Compare that number to the 1.39 base per inning that the entire Sooner pitchers allow per inning pitched as a team. (Maxwell has a 1.31 bases/IP, May has a 1.70 bases/IP and Deal has a 1.12 bases/IP). The Sooner pitching staff has allowed a BA Against of .180 and an ERA of 1.56. Maxwell, May and Deal allow a BA Against of only .172 and a combined ERA of 1.61. the three supportive pitchers for OU has a combined ERA of 1.37 is strong as well.

While the UCF leading pitchers are certainly effective, they are not what the leading pitchers for Oklahoma are in terms of effectiveness. The same is true for the supportive pitchers on each staff. I hope that Maxwell, May and Deal are busy this weekend and pitch well to lead the Sooners in the circle.

Defensively, the Golden Knights have committed 28 errors in 1269 plays that have been made for a .978 Fielding%. OU on the other hand has made 17 errors in 1138 plays for a .985 Fielding%. Both teams have played 46 games. So per game the UCF defense has had to make 131 more plays than OU has made in the same number of games. That is mostly represented by the fewer Ks that the UCF pitching staffs earn compared to the Sooners Ks. But UCF does play good defense, but thy have to make more plays per game.

On offense, here is the batting lines of each team:
.379 BA, .485 OB%, .681 Slug%, 8.39 Runs/G, 79 doubles, 7 triples, 87 HRs, 54 steals in 64 attempts, 40.0% Runners LOB.
.313 BA, .378 OB%, .452 Slug%, 5.35 Runs/G, 63 doubles, 8 triples, 30 HRs, 69 steals in 80 attempts, 51.6% Runners LOB.

Oklahoma has the much better offense of the two teams. I will say that UCF does lack true power in their lineup (3 players have hit 5 HRs as the most - Cody, Evans, Griffin) but they hit pretty well and have some speed on the base paths via many pinch-runners and a has 10 players who have started at least 20 games. At least 7 starters in the field hit .291 or better with 3 or 4 hitting over .343 on the season. Jada Cody, a player that has been on Team USA several times, is the best hitter for UCF with her 20 EBH and .343 average. Four base runners have stolen 40 bases in 45 attempts. Rowe leads that effort with 19 steals in 21 attempts.

In a typical game, OU will score 3 more runs a game and will have 15.37 base runners per game. UCF will have 11.11 base runners per game. OU typically produces 23.07 total bases with hits/walks/HB per game. UCF produces 14.78 total bases per game. That is over 8 less bases per game.

If the games play out as the stats indicate that they should, The Sooners should win all three games on the road. But in each game the first contest is the two pitchers and how effective each of them are. If one over performs or one under performs, the norms (stats) will not hold. That can produce unexpected results.

The key to the series to me is the Sooners offense. If they reach base as they normally do, and then they hit the ball with their power, the Sooners will win. I say that because I think the Sooner pitchers can pitch well enough to limit the UCF offense below their season's averages. If UCF scores less, and OU's offense is as I think it will be, the Sooners win three games in convincing fashion. I certainly hope this is the case this weekend.

I think two of the quartet of Sooner seniors need to have strong series this weekend. Two of Coleman, Jennings, Brito and Hansen need to do something big to lead the way for the Sooners. It does not have to be the same two each game, just two of the four in each game. I think that players like Boone, Parker, Torres, Sanders and Pickering can also provide additional offense to make the difference in each game.

Good luck to the Sooners in Orlando.

Boomer Sooner!

[waddy's ghost]

Sidenote - with 2 wins this weekend PG will reach 1500 career wins at OU. It would also bring her to within 207 of all time wins record of Carol Hutchins at 1707 .

[TN Sooner]

Note - unusual start times

Friday 5:00 PM (central)
Saturday 1:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM (yes - Sunday morning on ESPNU)

[OUBeliever56A]

Here is the Sooner staff writers article about the Oklahoma series with UCF in Orlando this weekend.

https://soonersports.com/news/2024/4/25 ... oad-series

First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) followed by a 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT) start Saturday and an 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT) Sunday finale. The first two games of the series will be available on ESPN+ with Sunday's finale broadcast nationally on ESPNU.

Radio coverage of all three games can be found on 1560 AM The Franchise 2. Saturday's game will also air on 103.3 FM and 107.7 FM The Franchise while Sunday's finale can be heard on 103.3 FM.

Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso is two wins away from recording the 1,500th of her career at OU, currently holding a 1,498-349-2 (.810) record with the program. Gasso would become just the third coach in NCAA Softball history to reach 1,500 victories. Carol Hutchins (Michigan) is the all-time leader in career wins with 1,708 while Mike Candrea (Arizona) is second with 1,674. OU's head coach leads all active NCAA coaches in career wins.

Boomer Sooner!

[BudaSooner]

Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso is two wins away from recording the 1,500th of her career at OU, currently holding a 1,498-349-2 (.810) record with the program. Gasso would become just the third coach in NCAA Softball history to reach 1,500 victories. Carol Hutchins (Michigan) is the all-time leader in career wins with 1,708 while Mike Candrea (Arizona) is second with 1,674. OU's head coach leads all active NCAA coaches in career wins.

Patty probably has a really good chance to surpass either or both Hutchins or Candrea - - assuming that she sticks around for another 5 years, her teams would have to average around 40-45 wins per season. OU has been winning between 50-60 games/year (excluding the COVID year of 2020), and they have to go back to 2011 to get to the last year that they failed to win 45 games (their season record that year was 43-19).
Who knows how long Patty will continue on at OU? Or whether our teams will maintain our standard of excellence the last few years? Going into the SEC next year will up the level of competition, so there is that factor to consider.
But right now, IMO, if she hangs around a few more years, she has an excellent chance to be the G.O.A.T. in Softball!

[inconnu]

She's making such good money, I would be surprised to see her push on full steam ahead for more years than it takes to get one more NC than Candrea did(9 total, to move OU into 2nd place, and at the same time become the HC with the most NCAA softball championships). That is, I am guessing that is her goal, as long as she's healthy enough to work towards that. To surpass the UCLA record of 13 NC's might not be a realistic goal at this time. But hey, I'm just trying to read her mind.I've never met her, and not heard nor read anywhere that she's talked about that subject.

[AustinTXSooner]

Patty's going to keep coaching as long as she's enjoying it. I don't think she has a goal of passing any other coach in anything. It will happen as long as she is still enjoying it.

[TN Sooner]

I would be surprised if Patty had her eye on a specific statistical target, either wins or titles. Having watched most of her public statements and commentary the last several years, I don’t think she’s motivated by such things.

At this point in her life, I think she values most the impact she has on young women’s lives. I think former Sooners that wind up in opposing dugouts (like Shannon Saile last night) feeds her. I think 4-5 year relationships with the likes of Boone, Hansen, Coleman, Jennings, et Al, motivates her.

I have no idea how long she plans to go - she and I are about the same age and I retired 12 years ago. I “read into” her husband (Poppy) taking the coaching job last summer as a sign they are planning to work a few more years.