OU Softball: The Reason Patty Gasso Keeps Playing Cydney Sanders Despite Her Recent Slump
Despite Cydney Sanders’ difficulties at the plate, Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso has many reasons to believe in her and will keep giving her opportunities as OU faces Florida State in the Super Regional on Thursday.
NORMAN – Cydney Sanders has had her share of big moments this season.
In Game 1 against BYU back in April, Sanders launched a three-run home run to left field, thrilling the OU fans at Love’s Field in Norman. The veteran’s homer was a walk-off run-rule homer, securing the Sooners’ victory as the stadium lights flickered.
“There’s that relief,” Sanders said in April about the homer. “I’ve been getting on base mostly through walks. It just feels good to get a hit sometimes. I think that was a very uplifting moment for me.”
Just five days later, Sanders did it again, smashing a home run over the right-center wall of OG&E Energy Field. The crowd of 4,908 stood and cheered as Sanders rounded the bases for her 13th home run of the season, another walk-off homer, this time against Tulsa.
Despite a strong start, Sanders has struggled since mid-April. After her home runs and a two-hit game against Houston, she’s been in a slump, managing only two hits in May—one against Oklahoma State and another against Texas in the Big 12 Championship game. Despite her struggles, Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso remains confident in Sanders and will continue to give her opportunities as the Sooners prepare for a Super Regional showdown with Florida State on Thursday.
“You can see that she’s frustrated with herself, and then it kind of settles in,” Gasso said at Tuesday’s press conference. “She’s got 40 walks, which is incredible. So she is finding her way on base, and when she swings the bat, even if she misses, you hear the crowd react, ‘Oooh.’ I mean, she’s got the swing. It’s just not clicking for her right now.”
Sanders has definitely demonstrated her power at the plate. She has 26 hits this season, 13 of which are home runs, meaning half of her hits have been long balls that score at least one run. Defensively, she’s been nearly flawless at first base, committing just one error, with 279 putouts and 16 double plays.
“It’s not like we’re saying, ‘Well, OK, you go sit over here right now until we need you,'” Gasso continued. “She’s too good at first. She really has a great glove at first, and I trust that. The same goes for Alynah (Torres). She’s making contact, but it’s a bit too routine, and she knows she can do better. Both of them are getting frustrated and maybe trying too hard, and then it starts to affect them. We need to shake that off. We’re going to work on that over the next few days.”
