How important is Big 12 tourney to OU softball?

Jeff Johncox
The Norman Transcript

May 10, 2008 01:18 am

— Sorry, Sooner fans, but it’s likely the same slight Oklahoma softball received from the NCAA last year is about to happen again.
Last season, the Sooners went into the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 1 in the country and as the tournament’s No. 3 seed, but were sent to Amherst, Mass., for the UMass Regional. After they won in New England, the Sooners returned home to host a Super Regional.
That scenerio is likely to play out again, no matter what OU (43-11, 16-2 Big 12) does at this weekend’s Big 12 Tournament.
The reason? The NCAA selection committee, which will announce this year’s tournament field at 9 p.m. Sunday, likes to put regionals within driving distance of the schools involved. That is, unless the school is a rich Big 12 program with money for plane travel, like OU.
Since Big 12 regular-season champion Texas A&M is in the same area, and will probably get its own regional, good teams from south Texas will likely be put there.
As will Louisiana-Lafayette, which is 44-12 this season, and could host its own regional, too.
OU likely won’t get to play at home simply because the schools around it aren’t very good.
Wichita State (33-28, 13-13 Missouri Valley), St. Louis (33-29, 12-8 Atlantic 10), Missouri State (28-21, 11-13 Missouri Valley), Arkansas (35-27, 7-20 SEC), Middle Tennessee (22-31, 11-12 Sun Belt), North Texas (27-32, 9-15 Sun Belt), Louisiana-Monroe (21-36, 9-15 Sun Belt), Colorado State (27-22, 7-11 MWC) and New Mexico (20-25, 9-11 MWC) are all within driving distance of OU, but all will probably watch the NCAA Tournament unfold from home.
That would put the Sooners on the road again.
But don’t think they’re not eager to get to work at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
OU takes on Nebraska at 11 a.m. today in a Big 12 tournament quarterfinal. The 10th-seeded Huskers upset No. 7 seed Kansas 4-3 in the tournament’s opening round Friday night.
OU swept the regular-season series in Lincoln by a combined score of 17-1 in the two meetings.
If the Sooners win, they’ll take on the victor between Missouri and Texas Tech at 4:30 p.m.
“We’ve really been playing well in the Big 12,” OU coach Patty Gasso said. “I’m really proud of that.”
In fact, the Sooners ended the regular season on an eight-game winning streak that culminated in a 12-inning, 9-4 victory at Baylor April 30.
It’s safe to say, they’re on a roll.
“Going to Baylor was a tough trip because our players were getting ready for Senior Night and finals and it was in the middle of the week,” Gasso said. “We didn’t play our best, but we found a way to pull it out. I wanted one of those games.
“It was a 12-inning game on the tail-end of a doubleheader and what you’re thinking about is getting back on the bus. But they kept going after it and I was glad that we finished in that style even though we weren’t at our best.”
Last year, OU hitters really came on in the middle of the Big 12 schedule. They rose to be the best-hitting team in the nation, and the most feared up and down the lineup.
But the postseason dried up the Sooner bats, and OU won the Big 12 tournament thanks to some upsets in the bracket. They only had to go through Kansas and Missouri before downing Texas Tech 6-3 in the championship game.
Even in Amherst, OU had trouble scoring runs. Then DePaul’s hot pitching staff met the Sooners’ cold bats at Marita Hynes Field and OU had to watch the Women’s College World Series from home.
This season the Sooners are seemingly hitting their stride at exactly the right time.
“It just feels like everything is clicking and we’re doing everything right at the right time,” OU first baseman Samantha Ricketts said. “I think we peaked a little early last year, and right now we’re just starting to peak. It’s something we’re all excited about, and we’re waiting to see how far it takes us.”
And as a bonus, the Sooners have something they didn’t have a year ago. OU has two pitchers having nice seasons. D.J. Mathis struggled through injuries last year and wasn’t able to complement Lauren Eckermann.
Eckermann struggled to start this season, but she’s rebounded and is 13-4 with a 2.03 earned run average. Mathis is 27-5 with a 1.06 ERA.
Both are healthy and pitching their best, just when Gasso needs them most.
“Coming down the stretch, it’s nice,” Gasso said. “It’s a relief for D.J. because if she was having to throw every game, you would not see her sharpness. She’s rested.
“We can count on those two equally. It’s been a long, long time since I had that opportunity.”
How far the hot bats and strong pitching takes the Sooners remains to be seen. But if they keep playing at a high level, another Super Regional in Norman isn’t out of the question.
Jeff Johncox
366-3535
jjohncox@normantranscript.com

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