Patty Gasso knows her team is up against the wall as Oklahoma faces elimination after a 9-3 loss to Florida Monday.
The Sooners and Gators will square off again Tuesday in a do-or-die game. The Women’s College World Series could have a new champion if Oklahoma is eliminated.
But Gasso is confident in her squad.
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“They’re fighters. They’re fighters,” Gasso said. “It is hard to beat us twice. It has happened this season. This is really going to be a call-out. They know it. They know what’s going on. They know what’s at stake.
Who are we? What are we made of? We talked about really going in as an army of 21 instead of separation here, separation there, frustration over there. We can’t live like that. We talked about a family, strong-knit, 21, fighting for every pitch, fighting for every out, throwing very competitive pitches. We just need to be sharper, better.”
As far as being better, Gasso knows it has to be better than three runs and scarce pitching won’t cut it. Oklahoma found itself in a hole and that was all she wrote.
“We need to be really working on all cylinders tomorrow,” Gasso said. “We can’t have one part of our game good and think we’re going to win at the World Series. We’ve going to have to have all three working for us tomorrow.”
Alynah Torres might not play, according to Gasso. It would be a tough loss for the Sooners if they can’t get one of their better players back.
Alynah has not been cleared yet. There’s still some, like, blood in her eye,” Gasso said. “Until that is completely gone, she will not be on the field. That’s where they are right now. So she may or may not. Hopefully, but we’re not going to do anything to jeopardize her either.”
Oklahoma seemed off early on in the game, particularly with base running. Gasso put the onus on her as head coach.
“That was totally my fault,” Gasso said. “I own that one. That was an unbelievable play. I’m looking up. I’m telling her, Okay, it’s through, go. I’m looking for the next runner. That was on me. It was nothing she did wrong. I own that.
“That was just part of it. It’s part of it. They made great plays. They really played some great defense. They were playing to win. You could see that.”
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