Oklahoma Quotes
“I think it helped out, we faced her about two or three times. We got to look back at film, back at our own swings, kind of go from there.
But she’s a great pitcher, competes every pitch. Definitely got to work when we’re facing her. I think we did a good job of focusing on what we wanted to accomplish.” – Caleigh Clifton on having previously faced OSU pitcher Samantha Show
“It was pretty cool. I think we were already having a party, but once the lights went out, we knew we had a chance to get the whole crowd in with us. Any time we get the crowd engaged with us, it makes it 10 times more fun, say Boomer Sooner.” – Nicole Mendes on the delay for the lights being out
“Total accident. I’m just putting it out there first thing, total accident. I wouldn’t hurt a fly.
As I was going in, I saw her going one way to catch the ball. I tried to slide the other way. Our bodies just kind of collided, yeah.” – Nicole Mendes on the third base collision
“It was fun. I mean, I knew they were going to fight early in the game. I think it was just keeping them off balance. Coach Rocha did an amazing job of playing chess with them, mixing things up when needed to. It was awesome.” – Giselle Juarez on facing Oklahoma State for the fourth time in the season
“It was exciting. I think our team started to have a little bit of nerves. It’s hard to play the night game because you have to sit around all day and wait, wait, wait. When we got out there, the way they started attacking at the plate set a really good tone.
Again, I’m looking down the lineup. Eight of our nine hitters had a hit tonight, which is a good way to spread it out. There were some clutch hits going on. That along with some really, really good defense. I thought Lynnsie Elam did a good job behind the plate. Some really strong defensive plays. It was a really well-played game.
Knowing this was part of history, who knows if it will happen again, hopefully it will. But the fact that the fans came out and were enjoying it, rooting for their team is what makes it special.” – Patty Gasso on the first ever Bedlam game at the WCWS
Oklahoma State Quotes
“I mean, it was something like I feel I’ve always dreamed of as a little girl. I felt like I was just floating out there, to be honest. I don’t really know how to explain it other than that it was really electrifying.
It makes you realize that you are playing on the biggest stage. You kind of get slapped with the reality that we made it to the end game. Next week there’s not going to be any softball playing, no matter what. This is it. I felt like that really hit me hard tonight with everybody in the crowd. It was awesome playing OU. A Bedlam matchup that felt like it was the Big 12 tournament times 50. It was amazing.” – Rylee Bayless on the game atmosphere
“It was just an unlucky inning for us. I felt like I was making some good pitches. They were putting balls where we weren’t. I was happy that we only held them to three. I felt like that didn’t really put us out of the game. I knew if we stayed there and put zeros up the rest of the game, we had a chance to win.
It was just an unlucky inning for us.” – Samantha Show on the first inning
“We were just staying together, as you can see. We stayed as a team right there, did some cheers with the crowd. Got them involved. Just stayed together throughout the time.” – Michaela Richbourg on the delay for the lights being out
“That wasn’t the start that I dreamed up, to be honest. That’s what OU does. It’s what Florida State does. It’s what these top offense do. They kind of make their money by scoring fast.
I honestly didn’t think that Sam was that bad in the first. I thought she made a really good pitch to Alo. Was way inside. Off the plate in. She somehow got the barrel, stayed inside. It’s what really good hitters do.
But I didn’t feel like we were out of it. I really didn’t. We came back and we got that run, which we’ve struggled to score runs against them. Frankly, we struggled to score runs against elite arms. That’s their growing process and growing pains we’re in right now.
We have to be in these games to figure this stuff out. It wasn’t a great start. Little unlucky. Little bit of them being really good. Put us behind quickly. But I didn’t feel our energy change. I felt like it was really good. I felt like we stayed good the whole game.” – Kenny Gajewski on the first inning
Game Notes
- Oklahoma advances to the national semifinal Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT. OU awaits the winner of Game 10, which will be contested Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
- Oklahoma State will face the winner of No. 3 Washington and No. 7 Minnesota in an elimination game Saturday at 6 p.m. (Central). Washington and Minnesota are set to play Saturday at 11 a.m.
- The Sooners improve to 56-3 on the season while Oklahoma State falls to 45-16. OU leads the all-time series 94-70 and the Sooners have won 24 straight games against the Cowgirls, as well as 27 of the last 28 matchups.
- Friday’s game was contested in front of 9,820 fans, setting a Session 3 attendance record as well asan all-time WCWS attendance record. The previous highest attendance count for Session 3 was 9,658 in 2017 and the highest attendance on record was 9,698 for Session 4 in 2013.
- Oklahoma’s Giselle Juarez improved to 28-1 on the year in her 28th start of 2019. Juarez pitched six innings before Shannon Saile came in to close.
- Juarez punched out 11 batters in six innings, striking out 10 of the last 13 she faced. The junior surrendered four hits and one run on the night. Her 11 strikeouts tie Washington’s Taran Alvelo for the most in a WCWS game this season. Alvelo struck out 11 batters in Game 1 of the WCWS between the Huskies and Arizona.
- Friday’s game was also Juarez’s 13th game with double digit strikeouts in 2019.