Przybylo: Jayda Coleman provided THE best OU moment of 2024.
Another year of OU in the books. A lot of twists and turns, memorable moments. Trying to narrow it down to a top five was a fun chore.
My favorite five OU moments that I saw in person (Note: wasn’t at OU-Auburn for Kip Lewis).
No. 5: Welcome to Love’s Field
Why? You won’t forget March 1 for a long time. The beginning of the new era of OU softball for head coach Patty Gasso and the program. Love’s Field is here. The team should be a lot more comfortable at Love’s in 2025, but what a ride it was for it to be finished in time. And Kinzie Hansen providing some heroics to officially open Love’s to the softball world.
No. 4: OU softball 4-peat
Why? It was No. 1 Texas. You might forget that because of the extreme confidence No. 2 OU showed in the championship series of the Women’s College World Series. Like the Longhorns were not going to deny the Sooners of history. The big shot by Cydney Sanders. Kelly Maxwell closing the door. Something to remember for everybody.
No. 3: Well, we’ll always have Bama
Why? Not a lot of OU fans want to remember the 2024 football season. However, we’ll always have Alabama. Just a magical, surreal night in Norman. A third quarter no Sooner fan will forget, sparked by interceptions by Eli Bowen and another Kip-Six by Kip Lewis. OU never found that sweet spot the rest of the season, but you cannot take this night away.
No. 2: Javian McCollum Stillwater Silencer
Why? Wait, what is he doing? A real-time reaction as McCollum was dribbling out the final seconds in overtime. And the shot no Sooner fan will forget. The last traditional Bedlam in Stillwater, and McCollum drains the 3-pointer at the buzzer. OU 84, OSU 83 – OT final. Wow. The only reason this is No. 2? McCollum turned out to be a one-year Sooner. Unlike No. 1…
No. 1: Jayda. Coleman.
Why? Sometimes, it’s the journey and not the destination. The destination was No. 4 in this list and winning the fourth straight national championship. The journey? Jayda Coleman and one last time playing hero against Florida in the WCWS semifinals. The first time many might have thought OU wasn’t going to win, and Coleman, with one swing, etched her name even more in Sooners history.
If you were looking for an opportunity for OU softball, this was your weekend. The Sooners came into the Omni Classic as heavy, heavy favorites.
And they played that way all weekend. Five games, five run-rule victories. It was expected No. 2 OU would roll visiting Kansas City, but it’s a step up and lesson learned from last week. That’s something head coach Patty Gasso can take out of the weekend, for sure.
“Yes, 100%,” Gasso said. “We are ready, yes.”
The Sooners wasted no time and never let up on their way to a 17-1 victory (5 innings) Sunday afternoon.
OU is now 19-0 and begins SEC play against fellow undefeated South Carolina. The Gamecocks just made their biggest impression of the season with a three-game sweep of top-10 Duke. They closed that out with a 12-7 victory Sunday.
The Sooners scored five in the first, six in the second and five in the third, leaving no doubt. It was a banner afternoon for catcher Isabela Emerling.
Every time she was up, brought somebody home. Started with an RBI single, then hit her second grand slam of the season and punctuated it with a two-run single. Add it all up? Seven RBIs to give her 18 for the season.
“Just trusting the process, very process-oriented,” Emerling said. “I’ve been putting the work in the cages, so it’s just a matter of time before it pops up on the field.”
Pitching by committee in this one, especially after the way it started. Isabella Smith threw two scoreless innings before letting Kierston Deal, Paytn Monticelli and Audrey Lowry finish things off. They each threw a frame, with Lowry allowing a two-out home run in the fifth.
Freshman Sydney Barker continued her solid initial month of her career. Moving from right field to first base during the course of the game, too. Barker drove in three runs.
The third inning also marked the first appearance from junior Hannah Coor since the initial weekend of the season. She wasted no time with a two-run single to make it 16-0.
“It was tough,” Coor said. “A lot of rehab and all that, but I’m definitely used to all of that, so wasn’t too hard, I guess. But it was pretty cool coming in for that at bat and just hearing the crowd. But I think the coolest part was everyone got in in that game, and just getting loud for each and every individual that went into that game was pretty cool.”
Tia Milloy and Gabbie Garcia each added solo home runs.
“It was a very dominating performance,” Gasso said. “A lot of clutch hits. We ran bases really good this weekend as well. I think four pitchers were used today. We’re really trying to give everybody an opportunity before we walk into SEC play this weekend, which is really important for everyone to have some experience going into it.”
