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