Gasso elated with turnout for Big 12 Softball Championship
As remembers it, the Big 12 Softball Championship took a hiatus in large part due to a lack of interest.
The crowds were sparse, and it just didn’t have the special feel that a conference tournament needed to be relevant.
But in this year’s resurrection of the conference tournament, the people that weren’t present six years ago came out in droves, including 1,451 on the final day.
“I didn’t know what to expect because we haven’t been here in a while,” Gasso said. “But to me, it shows how much our sport has evolved in the last six years, because that was part of the reason why we stopped having it, is because we just didn’t get a lot of attendance. It just wasn’t a wow factor. So we’re like, 'Let’s just do away with it.'
“Now, to see everybody out here like this, I think it shows where our game has gone. It was great. We can feed off of that.”
Clifton comfortable at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium
In all her years playing softball, there’s one field that’s been a mainstay throughout career. The Wayne product played in the state tournament on the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, and she’s played in countless travel ball games on the diamond in Oklahoma City.
And on Friday afternoon, she really showed how comfortable she was when she launched two home runs over the wall for her first career multihome run game.
With the long balls, Clifton sent her team to face Oklahoma State for the Big 12 Championship crown — what she felt like was a collegiate state championship of sorts between a slew of homegrown players.
“I feel like Bedlam is like a state-type feeling,” she said. “It’s like Oklahoma kids, stuff like that. I’m excited for it.”
Needham impresses in complete game
Though her team came out on the losing end Saturday afternoon, Oklahoma State senior pitcher
left quite the impression on Gasso with a four-hit, two-run complete game.
“She’s tough,” Gasso said. “Whether it’s on our team or on any other team, I love a senior to go out on their own way, and she did. She walked away saying, I’m a senior and I’m going to crush this season and she’s a big, huge part of Oklahoma State’s success.”
With Oklahoma State at No. 37 in the RPI, the Cowgirls are essentially guaranteed to make the NCAA Tournament field. But to find more postseason success, they’ll have to find some support for Needham’s pitching.
“We’ve just got to find a way to find a way to scratch some runs across,” OSU coach
said after the title game loss. “Our pitching is good enough to win these type of games. Obviously close doesn’t count.”
Oklahoma’s Renae Martinez blasted a three-run, walk-off homer to give the Sooners a 9-8 win over TCU in Norman on Saturday.
The walk-off home run completed an Oklahoma rally that began in the sixth when Martinez hit a onerun double to put the Sooners on the board after falling behind 4-0.
TCU tacked on three runs in the seventh to counter a three-run inning for the Sooners in the sixth.
OU's Domenic DeRenzo had a two-run homer in the seventh and Brylie Ware homered in the eighth to give Oklahoma a chance.
TCU put up one run in the top of the ninth before Martinez’s homer to left that sealed the game.
JB Olson (4-1) earned the win on the mound for Oklahoma, while Durbin Feltman (2-2) took the loss.
The rubber match is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Baylor 3, Oklahoma State 2
Baylor edged Oklahoma State 3-2 on Saturday in Stillwater behind a pair of home runs in the fourth frame.
Aaron Dodson hit a tworun homer to left center and Wendzel Davis had a solo shot to give Baylor all the scoring it needed.
Trevor Boone put the Cowboys on the board with a two-run jack in the seventh, but Kyle Hill and Troy Montemayor combined for two scoreless innings of relief to fend off Oklahoma State. Joe Lienhard (2-2) took the loss after striking out five, giving up three runs on six hits and walking one in 5 innings worked.
Montana Parsons (5-2) claimed the win for the Bears.
The Cowboys will try to avoid a sweep against Baylor with the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
FROM STAFF REPORTS