The Oklahoma Sooners beat the Texas Longhorns to win another national championship in softball. Following that win, head coach Patty Gasso explained Oklahoma’s approach to pitching in the national championship game.
Patty Gasso decided to throw several different pitchers at Texas. That started with Karlie Keeney, who earned her fifth start of the season in 30 appearances.
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“I tell you, this is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever been a part of because of that,” Patty Gasso said. “We have not done this this season. We knew we couldn’t throw Kelly [Maxwell]. We just can’t. I did that one time with a girl named Paige Parker. I’d never do it again. It wasn’t worth it.”
In the Women’s College World Series, Kelly Maxwell had been the pitcher who Gasso and the Sooners consistently leaned on. That included pitching two complete games and a total of 15 innings in back-to-back days before the Sooners’ national championship-clinching effort. Because of that workload, though, she wasn’t able to start the second game of the Women’s College World Series final.
“It was exactly planned out, and it worked exactly how it was supposed to, to a T, to a T. Jen would say, ‘It’s time.’ ‘Are you sure?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Are you sure now?’ It was new to us. What I loved is every pitcher had a part in this, for the most part. Even if it’s one batter. At the same time hour hitters are going, This is cool, let’s score them some runs. When Texas would score, they’d want to come right back. They wanted to see this whole thing play out,” Gasso said.
“It was really wonderful to see Nicole May. It was wonderful to see Karlie Keeney on the mound with a start. I know you don’t know much about her. If you did, you would know why I feel that way. This girl grinds every day. Never complains. Total team. Always positive. A big part of the faith of these young women, as well.”
Karlie Keeney ended up pitching two and two-thirds innings, giving up two runs. She was replaced by Paytn Monticelli, who pitched a third of an inning. Then, Kierston Deal threw an inning, giving up one unearned run and actually getting the win. After that, Patty Gasso turned to Nicole May for an inning and two-thirds before eventually going with Kelly Maxwell to finish the job.
“Then Nicole May coming in, I like her in that second half. She just dealt. Speaking of dealt, Deal was dealing, as well, if that makes any sense at all. It was really wonderful. Paytn Monticelli comes in for one. That’s all we need from you.”
For Patty Gasso and Oklahoma, the win over Texas completed the four-peat in softball, with the Sooners winning the national championship every season since the canceled 2020 season. Since 2013, it’s Oklahoma’s seventh national championship.
“It was really, really cool. That’s one thing I’ll always remember, is just what this felt like. It was probably the least tense I’ve ever been. I mean, I’m looking around like, This is the national championship. We could be winning this right now. Usually, heart is doing that all the time,” Gasso said.
“But I’m laughing. Having a wonderful time with them because it just felt easy. It just felt, I don’t know, so real. It was so real.”
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