No. 1 Oklahoma (47-2) is back at Marita Hynes Field on Sunday in the final of the Norman Regional against Wichita State (41-12-1) with a berth in the Super Regionals on the line.
For the Sooners, they will need to win only once to advance to the next round of the NCAA Tournament with the Shockers needing to find a way to beat Oklahoma two consecutive times. Considering Patty Gasso’s club has only lost twice all season, that is certainly a tall task – but they did indeed give them a run for their money in their matchup on Sunday with the Sooners hanging on for the 7-5 win.
After falling to Oklahoma, Wichita State was forced to do battle with Texas A&M late Saturday night needing a win to keep their season alive. The action crossed midnight and was a hard-fought battle with the Shockers outlasting the Aggies 9-6. Obviously, fatigue could be a serious factor for Wichita State on Sunday.
After Saturday’s matchup, Gasso expressed a deep respect for Wichita State saying quite simply that they were an under seeded team and better than most people give them credit for even going as far as to say they were the “toughest hitting team” the Sooners had seen all season. While Oklahoma will have obvious huge advantages with being at home, being more rested and only needing one win, the Shockers will still pose a tough challenge.
For the Norman Regional final, here is everything you need to know:
WHEN: 3:00 p.m. CT
WHERE: Norman, Oklahoma (Marita Hynes Field)
HOW TO WATCH: ESPN
HOW TO LISTEN: Sooner Sports Radio Network – KRXO 107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Tune In Radio App (Chris Plank)
IF WICHITA STATE WINS:
Should the Shockers win, the second game will be approximately 30 minutes after the first game’s conclusion. Radio information for the second matchup will be the same. Television details will be added to this post once the information becomes available.