Pickering pops, Sooners make the plays and one more win brings super regional to Norman
NORMAN — Here’s a question.
Can we just stop and appreciate Kasidi Pickering?
Can we do that?
Not just because she led Oklahoma to an 11-2, five-inning run-rule Norman Regional victory over California Saturday afternoon at Love’s Field in front of 4,134 paying patrons.
Not just because the Golden Bears failed to retire her in four chances, or that she went 3 for 3 at the plate with a pair of home runs, one a grand slam and the other on the third pitch of the game, driving in six and scoring thrice.
Not just because she’s been so steady all season long, her slumps not really slumps, like the 2 for 13 she was sitting on entering the regional, topping out at four games, which still had her entering the day hitting .401, sitting on 14 home runs and 45 RBIs (now 16 and 51), getting on base at a .524 clip and slugging .803.
But also because of the beautifully understated way she does it.
Her first home run, all she seemed to do was flick her wrists to send an opposite field shot over the wall in left-center field.
Her second, perhaps, the swing was a touch bigger.
Maybe.
Still, mostly, it looked a whole lot like the first one, the big difference being it came in the bottom of the fourth inning, brought home Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, Isabela Emerling, Abigale Dayton and herself, moving the score from 7-2 to 11-2 and creating the run-rule triumph provided Audrey Lowry, in relief of Sam Landry, could get three outs, which she did.
“She’s just an easy watch,” Sooner coach Patty Gasso said. “She just really sees the ball well … her hands are quick and her body is strong and it looks very simple.
“It looks very easy, but she definitely works on it.”
What it looked like was a kind of trick, though tricks don’t tend to end up on the other side of the outfield wall.
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