Bittersweet. That’s how Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso described her team’s win over Oregon on Sunday in the Women’s College World Series.
Gasso had nothing but positive things to say about her protege Sunday, though, and looked forward to facing a former Big 12 opponent for Monday.
Patty Gasso’s opening statement
Huge win for the Sooners. Personally, kind of bittersweet, because those are my people on the other side. It’s hard to play on such a platform that means so much and it’s going to end somebody’s season. It was hard, but super proud of that staff and all that they’ve done, so really proud of Missy (Lombardi) specifically getting back here. She’s dreamed of this for a long time. Gone through a lot to get here. Really happy for her. This team I think it all started in the circle. (Kierston Deal) came out and really handled her business pretty well. Gave up a run, but that’s expected. We answered back pretty quickly. And then we had Sam (Landry) come in in a good matchup with their three-hole, I believe, and just kind of let her ride it through. We’re in elimination time now so you do everything and anything you can. Just super happy for Cyd Sanders. Her senior year, what a wonderful memory to have, these home runs. Really timely hitting for some of them. At the same time, we left a lot of runners on base, but that means we’re getting on a lot. Very pleased. I’ll tell you, just straight up, we win a game and we walk over and we shake hands and we walk in the dugout like ‘Hey, OK’ and I’m like ‘Do you know what we just did? Does anyone know what we just did? We’re in the Final Four.’ ‘Yeah, we’re good. We’re swag. Swaggy swag.’ I’m just like, ‘Somebody celebrate. Can we do something fun.’ They’re just the most calm, chill. Sometimes I’m like ‘I don’t know that you know. Do you know?’ ‘Yeah, we’re good.’ So I’m like OK. Hopefully we’ll have some massive celebrations in the future. But I’m really happy and proud of these guys.
Gasso on the challenge of having to beat Tech twice
(Associated head coach JT Gasso) has got a lot of work to get going on. I do, to someone’s point, we talked about the amount of elite pitchers we have faced and have had some success off of. That’s what we’re going to live off of. We’re going to have to make a few adjustments for sure. But we’re fighting. We’re fighting for our lives now. That’s what it’s going to look like. It’s going to be a fight on our side to say we will not surrender for anyone or anything. That’s how we’re going to approach it.
Gasso on Oklahoma’s pitching plan for Monday
I like where we’re at. I have no idea how we’re piecing it together quite yet. But everybody is, they’re going to empty their tanks, without question.
Gasso on Sanders’ clutch-ness
Very needed for this offense. Cyd is exactly what you just saw. Very chill. Very easy-going. Does not get affected by much of anything. Just getting her swing on. Grein is tough. She is tough. Definitely facing her will help us tomorrow. But Cyd is just very unassuming. Doesn’t get all caught up in the thought process. She just waits for her moment.
Gasso on wanting to see her team respond after losing to Texas
OK, the warm-up was better, for sure. Seven innings, they get distracted. They just look around a little bit. They talk some. They just kind of become spectators sometimes. I don’t need them to be like the little kids in the 10-and-under teams in the dugout, but I do need them paying attention. They are. They just sometimes don’t make a lot of noise. Every once in a while they’ll create something. They were definitely more focused and ready today. They learned a valuable lesson. That’s one thing we’re doing this season is learning so many valuable lessons to help this team go into next year so much better than when we started. I’m on an amazing ride. I don’t know how they feel. They don’t share a lot. They just walk off the field, walk in the locker room like ‘what are we having for dinner?’ I’m like ‘OK.’ I want to celebrate with somebody, but it’s swaggy but it’s bizarre at the same time. Trying to figure it out.
On Tech being a newcomer to the WCWS
It’s been cool to see new faces because that brings in more fans and fan bases. I’ve known coach Glasgow for quite a long time. I’ve watched his career move around some. He’s an amazing coach. He really is. Some of the stuff he pulls out of his hat is pretty epic. He does it the right way. I really enjoy going up against him because you know you’re going to have a battle. Ole Miss the same thing. I was also a member of the Big 12 for 30 years. To see a Big 12 team get in here that’s a new name. That’s really, really cool for the Big 12. Ole Miss just got on that hot run. Sometimes it’s fun to follow those underdogs or Ole Miss that way. The experience, when you have a team that comes to the World Series – that’s why I’m really excited for Missy because she really worked hard. Her standard and my standard are very similar and so to finally get her team here. I was just watching. I was a fan from afar. I was really rooting for them. It’s going to edify and move her program to a new level.
Gasso on whether four WCWS titles or nine straight elimination wins is more impressive
Oh, I don’t know. That’s impressive. Nine is pretty dang impressive. That’s character. That’s like, we are not going to quit. So I love, love, love that. But it’s also nice raising a trophy and taking an easier route. I do respect the fact that our team fights their tail off to the end.
Gasso on preparing Sam Landry to face former coach and teammates
I’m going to work on that. That’s a good question. She’s so different. She’s quite different. She’s quite a different pitcher than she was. And she really, really showcased, she threw really well tonight. Really well. I hope that will carry over for her and just really have tunnel vision and blinders on and not worry so much on that side but more about her girls on her side.
Gasso on the importance of seeing her former assistants get love from current schools
Thank you for asking that question. If you aren’t investing in Melissa Lombardi then you’re not paying attention. Not only is she a great coach and very organized and a hustling, hustling staff that recruits very well, but she’s an extreme professional and does it the right way. Treats her players the right way. Expects hard work on the field but also her players walking through the line were very grateful for the game that we have, wished us luck. She is turning girls into women and that’s what we’ve done at OU. That’s what she was when she came to OU was a girl that turned into a woman. She’s one of the best out there. There’s no question about that.
