Another sell out at USA Softball Stadium brought out the stars for game one of the Women’s College World Series championship between the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns.
Former basketball star and current member of the Atlanta Hawks was in attendance and so were Dillon Gabriel and Michael Turk. ESPN took a moment to interview Oklahoma’s new head coach Brent Venables who mentioned he told all of his players to come out and watch the Sooners softball team.
Brent Venables on @OU_Softball. π£οΈ
"It's intimidating. Are you kidding me?"
"Somebody asked me to go in and speak to the girls and I'm like, 'What am I gonna tell them?' That's like marrying Oprah. What are you gonna give them that they don't already have?"#BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/F8T3HZCuOr
— ππππΈβπππΈ-ππ-πβπΌ ππβππ» (@soonergridiron) June 9, 2022
Speaking with Holly Rowe, Venables was asked what he thought about the program Patty Gasso’s built. He said, “It’s intimidating. Are you kidding me? I had a chance to speak to the girls. I was just going to throw the pitch out and then someone asked me to go in and speak to the girls and I’m like ‘what am I gonna tell them. That’s like marrying Oprah. Like what are you gonna give them that they don’t already have? But they’re addicted to winning and they’ve been the example in college softball. Coach Gasso and her program, her coaches. So, I’m trying to learn how to win at the highest level like they have. They’re as good there’s been in a long time. Maybe the most dominant collegiate team in any sport ever. So it’s pretty cool to be a bird on the wall.”
He encouraged his players to “watch these girls. How they compete, how they win, how they fight, how they play together, it’s really inspiring. The energy is very infectious, it’s very contagious. And so I told all the players, ‘this is how you win at the highest level, come watch this.”
No doubt that the Oklahoma Sooners have been awe-inspiring yet again as they set a record for most runs scored in a Women’s College World Series and a record for most home runs in a championship series game. Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings each have a pair and Jana Johns and Taylon Snow came through with the long ball.
Though the game isn’t over yet, the Sooners will more than likely take a 1-0 lead in the series. It’s all academic at this point.
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