NORMAN — Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso made it clear after Sunday's loss that she was far from worried about her team.
On Wednesday, the Sooners showed why. They scored five runs in the first inning, which helped catapult them to an easy 9-0 win over Texas A&M Commerce at Love's Field.
"It was almost expected," Gasso said after the game. "I think they were ready to get back on the field and make things right so to put five up that early was a good start for us."
The hitting started early and often. After Rylie Boone and Kinzie Hansen were walked, Kasidi Pickering came through with a double to right field that scored both for the first runs of the game. Jayda Coleman was walked on the next at-bat, and Ella Parker followed that up with a three-run home run to right field to push the score to 5-0.
The Sooners added a run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from Alyssa Brito that scored Cydney Sanders. It was more of the same in the third inning, as Pickering hit yet another double that scored Riley Ludlam, while Coleman and Avery Hodge added RBIs to make it three runs in the frame.
Kierston Deal earned the start in the circle and was flawless outside of a lead-off single in the first inning, throwing five strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Paytn Monticelli threw two innings, surrendering one hit and walking one batter while throwing three strikeouts.
Despite the win, Gasso made it clear there are still areas where they need to improve.
"We needed to get last weekend off us a little bit and the talk that we've had is more fight," Gasso said. "We need more fight. We need more relentlessness for this team. I wasn't really pleased with the way the game ended for us offensively where Alynah (Torres) comes up and just drills one down the line and then we have three straight outs the same way.
It's unacceptable for this team. It's underachieving for this team. It's not understanding the situation and the circumstance for this team. And that is not relentless."
The Sooners return to action this weekend against Iowa State, marking the start of Big 12 play. The first game is set for 6 p.m. Friday at Love's Field (ESPN+).
Quick notes
— Gasso continues to tinker with lineups. On Wednesday, it was Boone serving as the lead-off hitter with Coleman in the six spot and Sanders in the ninth spot. Avery Hodge earned her ninth start of the season as Gasso continues to rotate her and Torres.
Hodge played well, recording a double RBI in two at-bats.
“That’s what we’re talking about and that is a smart hitter saying ‘I don’t need to hit it to the fence. Let me just poke it,’" Gasso said. "And she knows exactly how to do it. They're playing deep so she should be seeing, ‘Wow, they’re playing deep and I can just drop one in here’ and it’s an automatic double. As soon as she hit it we knew she would be at second. It’s just reading, knowing, it’s softball smarts. That’s what we need besides this relentless attitude.”
— With her two doubles, Pickering now has 22 hits on the season, which is tied for second on the team. She also continues to lead the team in batting average (.458) and on-base percentage (.518).
The freshman continues to establish herself as one of the most important hitters on the team.
"Coming in, there’s a lot to learn," Pickering said. "The game is so much different here. It’s still the same game you played when you were little. Age doesn’t matter. Just hop in and try to keep up."
— Parker now has four home runs on the year.
— The Sooners improve to 19-1 on the season.
