AllSooners Softball Show, Ep. 7
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00:00 What's up, welcome in. Ryan Chapman here for the all Sooners softball show. Wrapping up Oklahoma's big weekend
00:06 It was Mary Nutter week in college softballs. The Sooners headed to the west coast to link up at the Mary Nutter
00:13 collegiate challenge where they finished a
00:15 perfect 5-0. The delays due to UCLA and Nebraska and UCLA and Northwestern couldn't hold the Sooners down
00:23 They notched a pair of power five victories on Friday. One over Mississippi State, one over Wisconsin
00:28 They circled back and Kirsten Diehl pitched a gem on Saturday for the Sooners to shut out San Diego State and then
00:34 Everybody came back in on Sunday. Wins over Seattle and Loyola Marymount. We're gonna break all that down next
00:41 Along with Alex Starocco. Yeah, she didn't hate it too much. She joined the show one more time
00:46 She was boots on the ground out at the Mary Nutter
00:49 Which is why I wanted to link up with Alex get everything she saw as she was there in person
00:55 Getting to experience everything a little note though
00:58 She was just coming in off of flight and we had to do our road to OKC radio show
01:03 So things look a little bit different. We had to record this up at franchise HQ. So
01:07 Apologies, if you've gone a custom to the map over my shoulder anything like that. This episode's gonna look a little bit different
01:13 We didn't want to just do it on zoom when she got back home. We're gonna be in the same room
01:15 Anyway, we thought it would be a better show that way
01:18 So stay tuned up next is my conversation with Alex Starocco as she recaps everything that happened at the Mary Nutter collegiate
01:25 Classic here on the all-sooners softball show
01:29 It's up like I said right you haven't Alex Starocco here at franchise studios again
01:42 Better to do this than a zoom where like we'd be in the different rooms and the delay and all that stuff
01:48 But there's I want to link up with Alex as she was in Palm Springs Cathedral City
01:52 sorry, Cathedral City for the Mary Nutter collegiate classic, Oklahoma a
01:57 Perfect five and a weekend wins over Mississippi State in Wisconsin on Friday a late night on Friday
02:04 I think I filed my Wisconsin story like 1:30 in the morning was like I must die now and go to sleep
02:10 Circled back Kirsten deal complete game shutout against San Diego State on Saturday 7-nothing
02:16 Then a pair of run rules want to get Seattle in six innings
02:19 Then the Loyola Marymount five inning run rule perfect weekend for the Sooners Alex
02:24 What kind of stuck out to you as Patty Gass has said she wanted to see a different team a more athletic team a more intense
02:31 Team did you see that out of Oklahoma were some of the delays and stuff on Friday meaning that maybe the Sooners didn't quite hit
02:38 The levels that you think Patty Gass and want to see out in Cathedral City, you know, maybe I think
02:42 The Sooners maybe not have hit what she wanted, but I think they're definitely in route
02:47 I think they really turned it on a little bit more this this weekend than maybe
02:50 fans weren't ready to
02:53 Really buy into this past couple weekend
02:56 So I love that Mary Nutter is always the pedal on the metal for the runs and the offense this weekend
03:02 And so you got that you showed that and I love what the offense really had to bring this weekend
03:08 Yeah, it was kind of weird to the point this season you've had
03:12 Pretty consistent defense. I think like the the the hiccups have been grading on the curve of grace lines is
03:19 Unbelievable and it's not fair to hold every defensive play to the grace lion standard. I think you had I
03:26 Hesitate to say like poor but it wasn't as crisp against Mississippi State and against Wisconsin same in the circle
03:34 It just wasn't as crisp as it has been not bad
03:36 But obviously a lot of base traffic or a lot of traffic on the bases
03:40 Excuse me the first two innings in Mississippi State you had the strong starting in Wisconsin
03:44 Then allow Wisconsin get a couple runs back and then it kind of turned on but I think one of the really encouraging things is
03:50 That from the jump against Mississippi State it didn't take any time
03:52 It wasn't like Washington where you had that lag in the Huskies go up and there's a couple of innings
03:57 We're like Oklahoma's bats. Are you are you in Mexico?
04:00 Did you make the flight like that that is not anything that happened?
04:03 As the bats were on it immediately getting Oklahoma back on the right side of things against Mississippi State
04:07 Against Wisconsin and it felt like that continued throughout the weekend obviously as they played
04:11 Some non power five competition though that San Diego State team as you guys know
04:15 Supers team last year. Yeah, absolutely
04:18 You see kind of that transition and I think a big forefront to that was Kirsten deals
04:24 Performance on Saturday against San Diego State like you said a super regional team from last year
04:30 Nothing too shabby out of there. She had a full game complete game shutout
04:35 Which is a huge step for her and her performance just really coming back from that first game nerves the first weekend
04:42 So I was excited to see that performance and I feel like her performance really sure-footed the offense and really taking off
04:48 You saw that explosion out of a couple hitters
04:51 And I was excited to see that the pitching and the offense really really mixed to an Oklahoma Sooner couple of W's
04:58 Yeah, and I think you saw too a recognition from both Patti Gasso
05:03 Jennifer Rocha about what Kirsten deal was doing is three hits allowed. That's it
05:08 No walks one hit batter, but I think it was six strikeouts across those seven complete innings
05:14 You've seen at different points this year
05:16 If you watch the the Austin your softball show last week talking about SJ gear in that in that second performance
05:22 She was cooking she was cooking and Patti Gasso looks up and says oh
05:24 We're about to run rule to see me when he gets some other pitchers in
05:27 They liked what Kirsten deal was doing so much that they just said girl
05:30 You're gonna do the first complete game for the entire staff all year long
05:34 It's not a run rule anything like that, and I think you saw just a recognition of
05:37 Kirsten deal this weekend. She's pitched 14 and some change innings total
05:42 That's halfway to what she pitched all of last year
05:46 We've talked about this a bunch on the radio show
05:48 But it's one of those things where it's easy to forget she only pitched she pitched under 28 innings a year ago
05:54 She's halfway to that point still a really really young
05:57 I hesitate to say raw but but still developing picture that that to have those seven innings the in for Patti Gasso and Jennifer Ochoa just say
06:04 Continue to build that confidence
06:07 I thought that was a really really encouraging sign for where she's at week in three into her sophomore year
06:11 Yeah, absolutely
06:12 and it's it's hard to find that kind of picture that it really steps up from the jump as a
06:17 Freshman and and gets those innings and is locked down
06:20 So I've loved the development out of Kirsten deal not only from just being a role pitcher and in
06:26 Developing into that and accepting that last year but coming out and having these kinds of starts
06:30 As she goes on throughout the season and and just keep growing and getting better
06:35 I think that's all you can ask from a pitcher or even an athlete in total and I was really excited to see that from
06:41 Her this weekend and I really think it really capped off just the rest of the weekend from Saturday and Sunday in the offense as
06:47 Well, yeah, and you you got that offense in a big way on Sunday Ella Parker with a couple of home runs on Sunday
06:54 Jada Coleman gets her first home run of the year on Sunday. I think it was Chris plank that pointed out
06:58 Basically the exact same thing as last year. She didn't have any home runs coming into the Mary Nutter finally gets one
07:05 I think it was game 13 last year game 14 this year and then that rocked at her - obviously career high
07:10 What what kicked off? What was a a player of the year caliber season a player of the year caliber campaign
07:16 Even though it went to Valerie Cagle
07:18 No one I think is concerned about Jada Coleman, but you had that on Sunday, but you go back all the way to Friday
07:23 Kinsey Hanson was on cork in a couple you had Tiara Jennings who she's just so she reminds me of I'm a Braves fan
07:31 right
07:31 and so I always would digest all the Braves content and
07:34 Freddie Freeman always talked about like when I got in batting practice
07:37 I've never trying to swing for the fence hit a home run like when I make sweet contact that's gonna come he always focused on
07:43 Situational hitting and I feel like Tiara brings that same approach of so often when it's Tiara's great games
07:49 It's not the home runs that you look up. She's like, oh she's four four five
07:53 It has five RB eyes because she's just to our bi double to our bi double rbi single
07:57 And I felt like you got that version of Tiara this weekend from from the jump
08:01 Yeah, absolutely. You didn't see Tiara trying to press and getting that result fixated mindset at the plate
08:07 She really bought into that situational hitting that I was always told growing up and even
08:13 At OU I remember JT saying it that hard ground balls turn into line drives and line drives turn into home runs
08:19 And I feel like you saw that not only out of Tiara
08:21 But a lot of different Sooners this weekend you have that situational hitting you saw a lot of doubles this weekend
08:27 And so I feel like that's leading up just to even even more
08:30 Explosive kind of offense the next coming of week weeks as you go into the opening of Love's Field
08:35 Feels like they're seeing the ball really well Tiara right now has seven walks on the year
08:39 Ella Parker the true freshman seven walks on the year Sid Sanders seven walks on the year feels like Ella Parker
08:45 She reminds me a lot of Sidney Sanders where even
08:48 Last year at the beginning where Sidney Sanders wasn't hitting the same kind of home runs that she hit there
08:53 It's gonna say you could see the way she would have really long at-bats and draw those walks
08:57 You could tell like the plate disciplines there
09:00 It was just a matter of settling in Ella Parker feels like hasn't had that settling in period
09:04 She's has been excellent from the jump Cassie Pickering was a good against you've got a couple of true freshmen
09:09 Leading the way there. It's it leads up to what it
09:13 Shapes up to be the potential to be a really exciting opening weekend at Love's Field. We're gonna preview that on Thursday
09:19 So come back here to the all-star softball show
09:21 but you think about the way that Riley Boone has been as
09:23 Consistent as can be from the jump the way that Pickering and Parker are hitting the way that it feels like Kinsey Hanston Jada Coleman
09:29 Terry Jennings are working their way into the it seems like it's the recipe for
09:33 Maybe this upcoming weekend to be that
09:36 absolute
09:38 Explosion where maybe you see one of those 14 to nothing style run rules and it happens in
09:42 Multiple beginnings where our fans just like yes, they're back in town. They're here that kind of thing
09:48 Yeah, you just see that out of a lot
09:50 It's developing it's coming and it's just evolving and and like as a coach has always talked about - you don't want to be playing
09:57 Your best softball in February and I can't emphasize that enough
09:59 So as you go through and watch these games you you see them consistently getting better
10:05 And that's all you can ask for in growing and just evolving as a hitter on the plate
10:10 but also as a pitcher - on the mound and
10:12 Building different parts of your game to slowly be their best that you can be in June when it matters
10:17 Alex you got the pleasure of Seattle Coleman in person
10:20 There's only a like a handful of people that have got to see the suitors in person
10:24 If you were lucky enough to make the trip to either
10:26 Port of Iarda or Lake Charles or Palm Springs
10:29 Was not me this year as much as I tried as much time as like I'll just keep smitten the budget
10:34 But as Oklahoma fans are able to kind of get their eyes on this Oklahoma team in person
10:39 Jada Coleman's Jada Coleman the human highlight reel right Riley Boone and the the biggest like
10:44 Gumchomp that you'll ever see that kind of stuff people know tiara people know Kinsey
10:48 Who are some of the the players that maybe either Oklahoma fans are gonna get introduced to this weekend?
10:53 Or maybe some under the radar players that you just love sitting back and saying I'm gonna gonna take a half inning and watch
10:58 This player because they bring just some sort of something different other than the show that obviously everyone comes to see right
11:05 The first one off the top of my head is for sure Alyssa burrito when you see just her facial expressions, but also
11:12 She talks to herself in the box. She is
11:16 Either so happy and excited she's frustrated with herself
11:20 But she wears all of her emotions on the sleeve and she's kind of a really fun just person and player to dive into
11:26 Close a little closer than just the grand scheme of things another fun one that I kind of experienced this weekend was Riley Ludlam
11:33 She got the start behind the plate against Seattle
11:36 Sunday morning and she was really fun to watch and just see her kind of step into that
11:41 Familiar space for her and just know that she's wearing the Oklahoma uniform and being able to laugh and smile and and just perform in
11:49 her way
11:50 She was just a character behind there, and I actually really enjoyed it and so it's fun to watch her
11:56 She was she was really exciting as well as I'm gonna say Boone - I feel like everyone like sees her
12:02 But like if you really watch her she talks under her breath all the time
12:06 You just love trying to piece together what she's saying. She's chomping at her gum this weekend
12:10 She actually swung for a practice swing and her gum fell out of her mouth
12:13 She caught it like on the swing and put it right back in her mouth
12:17 I'm like that's kind of unsanitary, but as long as you're hitting doubles, that's totally fine. I'm okay with it. Whatever works
12:24 Those are a couple off the top of my head and I know Boone and Brito are just infamous for also just having
12:29 The best of times if you guys were at the World Series
12:31 Previewing and getting that kind of hint of personality from them in between innings as well
12:36 So those are a couple off the top of my head as long as as well as pitchers - may also comes to mind
12:43 because she just is always kind of stoic very just no emotion on the mound, but if you're taking a peep into the
12:52 Dugout she is screaming off the top of her head all the time trying to lose her voice
12:56 smacking any kind of thing that makes any kind of beat or rhythm to get the dugout going and just acting like a fool and
13:02 I just know that probably less than a year ago that I was alongside with her
13:06 So she's another one that I would definitely keep my eye on - I've told you this before but the Nicole May experience
13:12 so lucky enough to get to dip into some photo wells trying to take some some art for the site basically and
13:18 The first time I was like beside the dugout it was a voice
13:21 I was like someone is a maniac and I feel like I never hear this voice talk like who is it?
13:26 I like finally peaked in I was like
13:28 Is that Nicole May and then secondly I was like is that her right hand that she's smacking on and I was like she has to
13:34 Pitch with that hand tomorrow
13:35 I wonder what the conversation is like there
13:38 But it just an absolute like lunatic like the best way as far as
13:41 dugout personality something that maybe we don't always get to see when she's in the circle because she's so
13:46 Calm cool collected and in that I've been curious
13:49 We heard last year one of the few asides that we got from coach gas
13:52 So the Alyssa burrito like voices that she does is that something that like when she's talking to herself if you missed it
14:00 Apparently she does like coach gas
14:02 So said that she should go into like cartoon voiceover stuff like that. She does so many voices first up
14:06 What is that like and secondly do you imagine her like?
14:09 Talking to herself and all the voices or is there like a very locked in like this is Alyssa burrito during the game when she's talking
14:14 To herself. She's just in her normal like the normal Alyssa burrito voice. Yeah, I feel like it depends
14:20 In kind of the setting that it may be now now if it's burrito running out of the field after maybe a ground ball
14:26 She got out. She's talking to herself while she's taking ground balls. It's definitely locked in burrito
14:31 Frustrated maybe about the game plan or something like that or her own approach
14:36 But when it's like messing around in a huddle before they break for the field you're seeing the laugh
14:42 You're seeing like the tongue and like just being a goofball
14:46 a big thing is she loves to be expressive with her hands and just being like I
14:51 Don't know. It's it's it's a sight to see a hand talker like one of the like big just like
14:56 I previously lived with and when I tell you a conversation was her actively practicing her takes
15:02 Nice in during a conversation in the kitchen. That was a big part of Alyssa burrito as well
15:08 She's nothing short in her personality. And so
15:12 Coach also loves to imitate or try to imitate those voices as well
15:17 And when you see coach trying to dive into it, you all you just got to do is laugh and shake your head
15:22 Speaking of coach one other thing
15:25 She'll hate this but I don't think she hops on YouTube to watch this show very often
15:28 So probably a good thing, although if you're there coach, please thumbs up and leave a comment
15:33 it really helps us for reach on YouTube, but I just remember back to the announcement press conference of
15:39 Love's field she was talking about
15:42 I'm joking like I'm definitely gonna be coaching at least through loves feel like I'm gonna be in that third base box stuff like that
15:47 But something that I'm sure you've experienced we're talking about at last year the the Hall of Fame game against, Texas
15:53 That set the record her trying to take a moment to tell you guys like please take this in and understand that this is special
15:58 This is not normal. This does not happen in every softball program in the country. I can't wait to see
16:04 Bottom of the first inning against Miami, Ohio Patty gas. So steps into that third base dugout
16:10 I
16:12 Wonder how much she'll be especially that half inning right before just taking in everything
16:18 That's gonna be this weekend. We'll dive into a ton of loves field stuff on the Thursday shows
16:22 We really ramp up into previewing. But if I if I'm one of those lucky enough people that has a ticket
16:27 that
16:29 middle of the first
16:30 bottom of the first the only person I like when I'm
16:33 Telling you right now when I'm covered the end
16:35 The only person I'm gonna be charting is
16:37 Every little thing that Patty gas so does cuz I think that's gonna be a huge moment for her
16:40 She's personally put so much into designing this stadium putting her touch on this
16:44 Something that you guys should look after is I'm sure that you know, it's gonna be a big moment for her
16:48 Yeah, absolutely. I think like you said she emphasized it in the Texas game
16:52 but if you guys are frequent viewers, you'll also know and be viewers of the championship mindset episodes and
16:58 Just tapping going off into this season. She really told the players to
17:04 Be able to stop and smell the roses was a big part of her quotes within the season
17:10 And so I think as she has grown into what has become of Oklahoma softball. She's not only
17:16 Just embodied that herself, but also just portrayed that to her players, too
17:20 She told that us to us many times last year and I can only imagine how how many times she's saying that to the players
17:26 And in the roster this year as well should be a ton of fun. Like I said Thursday noon
17:31 It'll hit the website will be previewing tomorrow. We're gonna talk to
17:35 Tuesday Tuesday today as you're listening to this
17:38 We're intoxicated gas or talk to a couple players should be a ton of fun as we ramp into what will be an incredible
17:43 Weekend for not just Oklahoma softball
17:45 But the sport as a whole is the Sooners are pushing softball another step forward
17:49 Loves field is now the standard for a world-class facility for athletes across the country
17:54 And that's always a good thing to set those new high watermarks
17:57 So that hopefully here in ten years you look across the country you see ten stadiums
18:01 They're as good as loves field not because that makes Oklahoma any less it's like that because that's nine other programs that get to experience
18:07 What it's like to have the full financial might the full support all that stuff
18:11 So it should be a ton of fun will be proving that a ton on Thursday, but Alex. Thank you
18:16 Literally, she's just off a plane coming back from Palm Springs
18:19 She's very tired. So I'll leave it with this if you're not following Alex you do a ton of great stuff out there
18:23 This is a where can you find all of just whatever you do because you're a busy busy person
18:28 Very busy, but I make it pretty simple. It's just everything is at Alex Morocco
18:32 Nice to have a unique name to be able to do that
18:35 I do not have that but shout to Alex appreciate her will wrap up the show on the other side big
18:41 Thank you again to Alex. She had travel issues galore
18:45 She was an absolute rock star though made it in and I'm so appreciative for her time as we got a great inside
18:51 Look at everything she saw she was in the stands feeling everything that happened the first look in person to Oklahoma this year
18:58 That really anyone has had so anyone involved on the media side at least I know that hurt
19:03 She was out there the Oklahomans Ryan Abra were out there at the marina
19:06 It was the first time we got to see eyeballs on the Sooners though
19:09 So I wanted to get that straight from Alex no word yet on who we're gonna talk to on Tuesday night as you watch this tonight
19:16 Recording this on Monday, obviously not sure what athlete but we'll talk to coach gas
19:21 So a couple of athletes per usual as it's a big one this weekend
19:25 Oklahoma preparing to open up loves field. It should be an absolutely incredible scene
19:32 All the way starting at Friday 11 a.m
19:35 The dedication the opening a couple of games Friday a couple of games Saturday. We're gonna preview everything that's to come on
19:41 Thursday's all-star softball show
19:44 So make sure you're coming all the way back and remember all singers calm your best place for live blogs
19:49 We'll use softball stories game recaps deep dives of the players who they are
19:53 And of course the all-star softball show so for all the great work that John Hoover Bryce McInnis
19:58 Ross Lovelace Randall sweet and of course I Ryan Chapman do be sure you keep headed to all
20:04 Sooners calm and for the all-star softball show. We'll talk to you on Thursday