OU freshman Kai Minor sets tone as Sooners roll into Super Regionals

All you can do is take a deep breath when you’re going up against this OU softball batting order. Home run hitter after home run hitter. But there is just a different feeling when Kai Minor gets it going at the top.

The freshman has excelled from that No. 1 spot. And back-to-back days she began the game with a double in the gap. Sort of a warning sign of what’s about to come.

And what came for the Sooners was another efficient victory Sunday. No drama, business as usual as OU cruised to an 8-1 victory against Michigan in the Norman Regional championship Sunday at Love’s Field.

The Sooners are back to the Super Regionals for their 16^th straight appearance, dominating the regional as the No. 3 overall seed.

“I thought we played really well this weekend,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “Pitchers were amazing. I think, maybe, could be wrong, but something like six hits over three games. Really great job. I thought everybody played well. I thought we started to run out of gas a little bit at the end of this game. But for the most part, everything was right on cue.”

This is what it can look like for OU, at times. A well-oiled machine that plays like one of the best teams in the country.

And when you put up three runs in the first inning? Making your life a whole lot easier. Minor has been key in that department. Get the double, come on in later in the inning.

That pressure is just so hard to deal with.

“I think that’s the thing I’m most happy about, is that we come out and we just set a tone right from the start,” Gasso said. “And that has a lot to do with Kai and Gabbie and the hitters right behind that are ready to drive them in. So when you can put three up in the first inning, you’ve already set a tone.”

Minor went 2-for-5 on Sunday, including a solo home run and scoring three times. She is hitting .446 this season and has found a power surge.

Minor can beat you in a lot of different ways, and her blast to center Sunday gives her 11 home runs this season.

“I mean Kai is doing amazing right now and she’s going to continue to do amazing,” shortstop Gabbie Garcia said. “I just think it kind of sets the tone and brings a presence and a fire. Obviously, you see Kai, she’s so fast and she’ll beat out doubles and stuff. She’s like flailing her arms out and screaming. I just think it gets everyone hyped and pumped up. For me, it gets me ready. I’m like, OK, let’s go. We’re ready to go right now. I think Kai has done an amazing job at setting that presence for us.”

It wasn’t the big boppers who went deep. Minor and Ailana Agbayani provided the solo home runs. Agbayani, Garcia and Isabela Emerling all drove in two runs.

That offense was more than enough for ace Audrey Lowry. The sophomore allowed just three hits and one run in 4.2 innings. She struck out three and did not walk a batter in moving to 22-3 this season.

“I think really my goal for this postseason was to have a really strong yet smart mentality,” Lowry said. “That was really working with Coach Rocha one-on-one and talking to her and our sport psychologist breaking down the mental side of the game.

“That was really essential before walking into regionals. And just going out there and trusting and respecting their lineup and really going out there and having fun and staying relaxed.”

Head coach Patty Gasso elected to use the staff to finish this one out. Senior Kierston Deal was sent in for an inning, and then Gasso went with Sydney Berzon. It was the first regional action for Deal and Berzon.

Neither Deal nor Berzon allowed a hit.

Up next

Feels like it will be another all-SEC Super Regional on deck. OU (51-8) is going to take on either St. Mary’s or Mississippi State at Love’s Field next weekend. The Bulldogs are in the driver’s seat, needing just one win to earn the Eugene Regional championship. No. 14-seeded Oregon did not make it to the title matchup.