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Oklahoma pitcher Kierston Deal celebrates during the Sooners' win over Alabama in the Norman Super Regional. BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

OU Softball: How Will Patty Gasso Manage Oklahoma's Large Pitching Staff in 2026?

Originally posted on Oklahoma Sooners on SI
By Ryan Chapman | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Patty Gasso made a late transfer portal addition on Tuesday night.

Former Ole Miss right-hander Miali Guachino announced her commitment to OU after a successful freshman campaign for the Rebels.

And while a young arm with SEC experience is always a welcome addition, Gasso and her pitching guru, Jennifer Rocha, now have eight pitchers to manage in 2026.

Since battling through the 2016 postseason with left-handed ace Paige Parker, Gasso has stressed the need to lean on an entire bullpen to get through the season, not just one stellar arm.

Still, keeping eight pitchers happy could be a challenge in the era of the transfer portal.

The Sooners have seniors Kierston Deal and Paytn Monticelli set to return alongside sophomore Audrey Lowry and redshirt freshman Sophia Bordi.

Guachino joined LSU transfer Sydney Berzon as Gasso’s two portal additions, and freshmen Allyssa Parker and Berkley Zache will join the program this fall.

Berzon and Monticelli’s roles are likely the easiest to project next year.

Berzon produced in all three seasons for the Tigers. Last year, she earned second team All-SEC honors after posting a career-worst 2.46 ERA, which would have ranked second for Oklahoma last year behind Sam Landry.

The LSU transfer should slot in as OU’s Friday starter, and Monticelli will reprise her role as a spot-duty reliever.

Deal, Lowry and Guachino will then duke it out to fill the starting rotation.

A year ago, Oklahoma appeared to enter SEC play with four viable starting options — Landry, Deal, Lowry and Isabella Smith — though Smith fell off in conference action.

The Sooners also entered a handful of series without their full complement of pitchers. Landry missed the South Carolina series, then Lowry was out of action for nearly a month due to a muscle strain.

Carrying four starters with SEC experience will guard against any potential injuries, and that’s before Rocha’s talented trio of freshmen factor into the equation.

Before reclassifying, Bordi was rated as the top pitcher in the 2025 recruiting class by Softball America.

Parker took over that ranking once Bordi moved her timeline up a year, and both pitchers will enter the 2026 season with lofty expectations.

If either immediately lives up to their ranking, then Gasso and Rocha could force opponents to prepare for five or six pitchers — a tall task for any coaching staff.

Zache also signed as the fifth-rated pitcher in the class, which is another variable Oklahoma could throw into the mix.

Oklahoma’s wealth of talent takes the pressure off Bordi, Parker and Zache to contribute immediately. Parker and Zache both are eligible to redshirt in 2026 if it’s deemed necessary, and three seniors will graduate out to open up innings in 2027.

Gasso threw seven different pitchers in 2021, though only three pitched more than 20 innings. In 2023, OU threw six different pitchers, so Gasso has experience managing large staffs.

OU opted into the changes brought by the landmark House Settlement, meaning Gasso’s program can fill up to 25 roster spots.

Texas Tech cleaned up in the portal to arm NiJaree Canady with even more talent to win a national title in 2026, and Texas also aggressively attacked the transfer portal to try and defend its first softball championship.

With a bulk of the lineup returning in 2026, Gasso opted to stack even more talent in the bullpen to chase down her program’s ninth WCWS crown.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma Sooners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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