OU Softball: Oklahoma's Magic Never Arrived Against Texas

Outfielder Abby Dayton pointed to Kavan’s ability to get the Sooners to swing at pitches outside the strike zone. 

“We had to work on making swinging at first pitches that were coming through the plate,” she said. “There were many balls that we were swinging at that we don't normally swing at. Making in-game adjustments, I think that threw us off.”

In the regular season meeting between the Red River Rivals at Love’s Field, OU tagged Kavan for 14 runs on 12 hits in 4 1/3 innings across two games. 

Texas coach Mike White said the first thing Kavan did was limit the mistakes, which allowed her to execute the game plan to attack OU’s hitters.

“She was losing a little movement on pitches (in the regular season),” White said. “So really focused on making the ball move through the zone, not only just throwing hard but making it move through the zone. 

“When you looked at it, she had good velocity, but she didn't have the location and also the movement on the pitch.”

Still, as good as Kavan was, the Sooners had plenty of chances.

Third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas struck out swinging to end the second with two runners aboard.

In the fourth, catcher Isabela Emerling was unable to advance Ailana Agbayani, who led off the frame with a walk, because she popped a bunt up. In the next at-bat, Texas was able to throw Agbayani out at second on a fielder’s choice and prevent a runner from getting into scoring position. 

Hannah Coor popped up into foul territory to strand a runner in the fifth, Dayton fouled out with one on in the sixth and Gabbie Garcia and Coor struck out in back-to-back at-bats with the game-tying runs on base to end the seventh. 

“There was a little bit of frustration going on in the offensive side of things, and you could feel it,” Gasso said. “Just a little bit of uncertainty or 'What should I look for, what should I choose?'

“But I think the goal is just getting runners in scoring position, and we did have a couple of those opportunities that could have changed, would have, could have, but didn't. And that's the toughness of this game.”

Now, the Sooners will have to stave off elimination against Gasso’s longtime assistant Melyssa Lombardi and Oregon. 

First pitch between Oklahoma and the 16-seeded Ducks is slated for 6 p.m., and the contest from Devon Park will be broadcast on ESPN2.