Patty Gasso knows what she's doing
Patty Gasso knows what she's doing
It may not make the most sense in real time all of the time, but she really does
The diamond sports really are the best because the age old cliché really is true, you’re bound to see something you’ve never seen before.
So, even though Oklahoma stopped Florida State a second straight night, claiming a 4-2 decision that puts it right back into the Women’s College World Series for an eighth straight season, let’s start here nonetheless.
Maya Bland was standing on first base with one out, running for Cydney Sanders who’d just walked for the 41st time this season. Soon, she was standing on second base after Jayda Coleman was robbed of a hit by Florida State second baseman Devyn Flaherty.
With first base open, the Seminoles decided to give a free pass to Tiare Jennings, her .372 batting average and her 22 home runs in order to instead face Ella Parker, her .412 batting average and her 12 home runs.
Yet, for some reason known only to Bland, after Jennings arrived at first base, she began toward third base.
To an offensive conference in Sooner coach Patty Gasso’s third-base coaching box?
Actually, no, she took off running for three or four steps.
Gasso said Bland was simply trying to make an aggressive play to gain the base.
Perhaps, but it was bizarre.
By the time Seminole pitcher Ashtyn Danley threw to third, all aggression had ceased. Bland turned and ran back to second, Flaherty received the throw and tagged her out.
Wait, OU appealed.
Did Flaherty block Bland’s path?
Though Flaherty’s knee moved in front of the bag after catching the throw, Bland’s hand still reached the bag after being tagged.
Thus, I thought not.
The umpires thought differently and gave Bland back the base.
Two batters later, the inning was over, the bases left loaded, no run having crossed.
No harm, no foul.
Still, score one for the diamond. Had anybody ever seen a player take off for third base in the wake of a teammate being intentionally walked?
I hadn’t.
I did not understand.
Know what else do not understand? Occasionally, at least, the frequently very singular decision-making of Gasso.
I know, I know, she’s the best softball coach in the nation. I know, I know, since real parity entered the game, nobody has been as successful.
For instance, one half inning before Bland went to third, turned back and survived thanks to replay, Florida State’s Jaysoni Beachum hit what would have been a home run, only for Sooner center fielder Jayda Coleman to rush to the fence, jump as high as she could and pull it back.
Amazing.
Next up, Kalei Harding first smashed a tape-measure foul ball left of the left-field foul pole and two pitches later a tape-measure shot OVER the foul pole — not sure I’ve ever seen that either, not over a foul pole so high — the home run bringing the Seminoles within two runs.
The blast came off Karlie Keeney, who’d entered to relieve Kierston Deal in the third inning, and Gasso had to go get her, right?
Keeney had just given up back-to-back home runs, sort of, one to center field that came back and one completely out of the stadium.
Kelly Maxwell had already been up in the bullpen. She was ready.
Make the change.
Gasso didn’t.
Keeney allowed a double to Isa Torres, but finally emerged from the inning having allowed no more damage.
Then, believe it or not, she chose not to close the door with Maxwell, but with Nicole May, who everybody figured would start the game, who tossed a perfect sixth and seventh, six up, six down.
Anything else?
Florida State’s first batter of the sixth inning was Kelly Mudge, who popped a short foul ball only caught in full dive thanks to Cydney Sanders cat-like reflexes.
Nobody was on base. Mudge might have made an out anyway.
Still, what a catch.
Back to Gasso.
Starting Deal felt questionable, too. Surely she’d have gone with May after May rolled through last weekend. Surely she’d dance with the ones who brought her.
Nope.
She wants a bigger staff come the World Series and though Deal left after allowing a run in the third inning and Keeney did not come back out for the sixth, each gave up just a single run and, finally, May had success in the closing innings.
Gasso’s pitching staff is now bigger.
Bland befuddled me.
Gasso confused me.
All of it, somehow, worked.
There you have it.
Gasso’s taking her team on an eighth straight trip to the World Series, seeking the program’s fourth straight national championship, forever with the willingness to operate outside the box from the widest possible angle.
It’s been working for a long time.