Softball Heads to Gasso's Old Stomping Grounds

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma softball head coach Patty Gasso will return to her old stomping grounds at Long Beach City College on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Central, when the Sooners (27-4) face Indiana (6-17) on the junior college campus. Gasso began her collegiate coaching career at LBCC and returns with her current squad, which has the nation's longest winning streak at 25 games.

“This is an exciting opportunity for myself and our team” said Gasso. “Long Beach has always been a very special place to me. I have a lot of friends and colleagues in this area that have been a major influence on my career.”

In 2004 Gasso was inducted into the Long Beach City College Hall of Champions. She was the head coach at LBCC for five seasons before taking the same position at OU in 1995. Gasso was also inducted into the inaugural class of the Long Beach Baseball and Softball Hall of Fame during the summer of 2004.

Gasso's current squad is one of the hottest in Division I. The last time OU lost was on Feb. 11 to No. 13 Alabama by a score of 2-0. In the five weeks since, OU has won 25 games and four tournaments while outscoring opponents by a combined total of 195-33. In addition to their high batting average, OU has added 59 doubles, six triples, 26 home runs and 181 RBI.

The pitching staff hasn't been too shabby during the streak either. They have a combined ERA of 1.03 and have held opponents to a .176 batting average.

The 25-game stretch is the longest in OU softball history. It broke the previous mark of 23 set by the 2001 team.

The Sooners assault on the record books has been a fairly balanced effort, although a few players have stood out above the rest.

Senior hurler Kami Keiter is off to the best start of her career with a 13-1 record, 0.26 ERA and .313 batting average. She is in the midst of a streak of 74.1 innings without allowing an earned run. The streak dates back six weeks to her second start of the season against Florida (2/6).

Last week, fellow senior Jessica Leslie moved into the No. 3 spot in the lineup replacing injured senior Christina Enea. Leslie flourished in the new role. In six games last week she hit .500 with 14 RBI and 10 runs scored.

Junior Kristin Vesely , who is hitting .536 on the season, had her school record 23-game hitting streak snapped last Sunday against UTEP. Vesely, who is the reigning Big 12 Player of the Week, already has 55 hits in 31 games this season.

On Thursday, OU will begin play in the Kia Klassic with an 11 a.m. Central, game against No. 7 Louisiana Lafayette. The Ragin' Cajuns will get their shot at revenge against the Sooners, who knocked them off in the 2004 Region I Championship to advance to the Women's College World Series. OU will also play Syracuse and Arizona during pool play in the Klassic, which features 10 ranked teams in its 16 team field. Championship play at the Kia Klassic begins on Saturday.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Softball Heads to Gasso's Old Stomping Grounds

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