OKLAHOMA CITY – A deep, deep exhale from OU softball pitcher Kelly Maxwell. Finally. Settling in for the postgame press conference, Maxwell was just minutes removed from a career-defining performance, still taking it all in.
A moment she had been waiting for throughout her softball days. And a moment she was hoping to actually experience when she transferred to OU.
It was a throwback game between No. 2 OU and No. 6 UCLA. The days of high-powered offense littered in today’s game were no match for the pitching masterpieces put on display.
But nobody – on this day – nobody could match Maxwell. Dominant in the first inning and never looking back in helping OU to a 1-0 victory against the Bruins in a winner’s bracket Women’s College World Series game Saturday afternoon at OGE Field at Devon Park.
OU is now one game away from reaching the championship series that begins Wednesday night.
It was a bit of a surprise to see Maxwell in the circle. Not because she isn’t capable, but OU has such a strong staff. And adding in it was Maxwell on Thursday, you could have assumed it would be someone else.
It wasn’t. And clearly, it didn’t need to be.
An early-morning conversation between Maxwell and head coach Patty Gasso was a catalyst to an afternoon the Oklahoma State transfer will never forget.
“What stood out is her response, without question,” Gasso said. “She has been going through a lot. She’s been through a lot. This was a big game for her. It was really getting it off of her. It’s been hanging on her since she got her. It’s been hard to watch her not be able to break through.
“There’s so many negatives coming. It just is. It’s everywhere. The conversation was really faith-based, just hand it over to the Lord and let Him guide you, just be free.”
Free – it’s something OU softball preaches a lot. Most of the time, though, it’s describing the approach at the plate. But it was absolutely true for Maxwell on this day.
Despite now having a 21-2 record, the last month has been a grind. Still able to rack up wins, but the dominance of the first conference month seemed to be long gone for Maxwell.
This was the outing she came to OU to have.
“I think she was super calm,” senior Rylie Boone said. “I think she knew who she was playing for. She looked like there was nothing that could happen to rattle her. I felt her confidence.
“I felt so much trust that she trusted us knowing she can leave everything on the field, and at the end of the day the defense is going to have her back.”
Maxwell began the game with a strikeout of superstar Maya Brady and never looked back. Maxwell went all seven innings, allowing two hits, walking three and striking out 11. She struck out Brady three times, and Brady was the final out in the seventh.
“I just put it all out there today,” Maxwell said.
She had to because UCLA’s two-headed pitching monster was almost just as good. OU only had four hits, but it was the one that mattered.
Tiare Jennings took the first pitch of the bottom of the third inning out for a solo home run. The only offense the Sooners were going to find. But enough.
“I knew I was just going to be confident in myself,” Jennings said. “Just hit the ball hard. Don’t try to hit it out or nothing. Kelly was dealing, our team was fighting on defense. Today was just a dogfight.”
Torres update
A scary moment in the top of the third when a pop fly smashed into the face of OU second baseman Alynah Torres.
Torres did not return to the game, and Avery Hodge took over. Torres’ status remains to be determined as of now.
“She got it pretty good. Definitely could not go back in the game,” Gasso said. “She’s getting medical attention from our great doctors. We’ll see if she’ll be available. Fortunately, we have the day off tomorrow… Hopefully she can get back in, but I’m not sure yet.”
It could have been a tough moment, but again, this is something OU has been doing all season. It’s been Torres and Hodge at second base all year. Clearly not how Hodge would have wanted to enter the game, but she was ready.
“People are asking why do you keep doing that. Well, this is a great reason why, is you have someone that can come in and not miss a beat on defense,” Gasso said. “I think Avery was a little over-matched offensively. We were trying to work the dirt. We didn’t get a pitch to allow us to really do that.
“Having her there (at second) made us feel really good.”
Up next
A lot of waiting for OU, the good kind. The Sooners will play 11 a.m. Monday against either Alabama, Texas or Florida.
UT-UF play Saturday evening, then the loser of that game plays the Crimson Tide on Sunday afternoon. OU will get two chances to advance to the championship series. If the Sooners lose the first one, they’ll come right back and play a winner-take-all contest.
“I will speak on behalf of them,” Gasso said. “It is great to have a day off. For me, I want to just keep playing and be done. Just the waiting around is not my favorite thing. But they need the rest.
“I think any coach will tell you it’s a different world now, it really is. It’s a different world of softball. It is intense. The stakes are different. Everything feels different. It’s hard to breathe sometimes. I know the athletes feel that. That student welfare is what I care about. I want them to be healthy, rested and I want them to feel safe, that we’re not just get out there and keep going. You got to pay closer attention to this generation because they have a lot of needs, and rightly so.”
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