OU softball notebook: Welcome Houston to (chilly) Love's Field
Not exactly the weather anybody was predicting for OU softball and Houston, but the games will go on this weekend.
After being nearly 90 degrees at the start of the week, we’ll be lucky to hit 60 during the weekend. And lucky to get all three games in with the expected rain for Norman on Saturday.
But you can’t let the elements get in the way. OU needs to continue to round into form at the right time. A three-game set vs. the Cougars is another chance for that.
“Well, one, I’m excited because two of those coaches are former Sooners,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “And so that’s always, I don’t know, there’s pride from my side to see any of these guys go into coaching.
“Houston has an offense. They can swing. They’ve been trained very well. They’re a team that beat Texas and beat them legitimately. They’ve had a little bit of injury in their pitching department, and so that’s where a little bit of their struggle is right now.
“But they’re capable. Like any team in the Big 12, as we’re all learning, anyone can beat anyone at any time. So we have got to go in, catapulting off of this game into the weekend and start to trend upwards. And I thought tonight was a good chance to do that.”
Houston is coached by former OU player Kristin Vesely. And one of the assistants is now former OU pitcher Hope Trautwein, who was an assistant GA for the Sooners last season.
UH did beat Texas in the first Big 12 series of the season. But it has become rough sledding ever since. The test will be for the OU pitching to be as dominant as it has been because Houston has played in some wild, high-scoring games.
Sanders biding her time
If you need one word to describe Cydney Sanders and her approach at the plate? Patient. No doubt about it. Sanders does not get cheated.
She might only get one good pitch to hit in a game or at bat, but she’s trying to make them count. It was on display again Tuesday vs. Tulsa.
A couple of walks, and then finally, a chance. With the bases loaded, Tulsa had no choice but to pitch to Sanders. The result was a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth.
You just have to roll with the punches.
“I would say you would have your 10 seconds of like ‘OK, this is what happened.’ You think about it and you move on,” Sanders said. “That’s what has helped me throughout the years, like just go get my 10 seconds and then go back on the field and try to make a good play on defense to contribute to the team. Everyone has that mentality of OK, let me not focus on myself. Let’s focus on each other as an individual.”
It’s not the March production for Sanders so far. But she did hit a walk-off home run vs. BYU last week to go with the grand slam Tuesday. It’s just about finding those moments and making them count.
Note: The weather has already taken away one part of the weekend. The unveiling of the Patty Gasso statue was set for Saturday evening has now been postponed. No date has been given for try No. 2.
