2022 WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 8, 2022

Patty Gasso

Joceyln Alo

Tiare Jennings

Taylon Snow

Oklahoma Sooners

Postgame Press Conference

Oklahoma 16, Texas 1

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THE MODERATOR: This is the championship final Game 1 press conference featuring the Oklahoma Sooners.

Questions for our student-athletes to begin.

Q. At this point with what y'all have done this season, during your careers, does this still surprise you at all what you all are able to do?

TAYLON SNOW: We come out every game just wanting to compete and do what we can on the field to get a win. So, I mean, I wouldn't say it surprises us because we come out ready to just compete.

TIARE JENNINGS: Yeah, I think we're just so locked in within our preparation that each game, not that we're expected to do it, but we know we should be doing good things. He hold the expectations for ourselves. Every game, we keep that momentum, keep that preparation, trust in our process, and our plans that good things will happen like that.

JOCELYN ALO: I wouldn't really say it surprises us, but it's definitely cool to see what it is that we can do as the stakes get higher and as the stages get bigger.

We just continue to keep our heads done and do what we do.

Q. Tiare and Jocelyn, you guys have been friends and teammates since you played on the Batbusters together. How much has that played into your dominance on and off the field, being able to grow up together?

JOCELYN ALO: It's funny because we never actually played together on the Batbusters. She was always on a younger team.

But we're always at EM together. We would do the classes. I don't think I hit with you. We ran a lot of foul poles together.

But yeah, I think just when Tiare got here, that connection just got stronger. As the years have gone on, it's just continued to grow stronger and stronger each year.

I think it plays a huge role in just who we are as people and that 2-3 punch.

TIARE JENNINGS: Yeah, I think it's a little different for me just because I had Jocelyn as a role model for me when I was younger. So while we were running those foul poles, I was like, Oh, my gosh, this is Jocelyn Alo.

When I was on the Batbusters, just watching her grow up, that's when it became like family. When she committed to OU, and I was committed to OU, that's when I think we really started to grow together.

I think the best thing being on the field together is I get to learn from her every day, kind of bounces off of each other.

Q. Jocelyn and Taylon, what is it like to know that you have Tiare in the lineup right behind you? What is it like seeing the 1-2 punch between those two when they get their at-bats?

JOCELYN ALO: Definitely just very comforting. I've said this before, I'll say it again, like Tiare is always going to have my back, even if I don't have it that day. She's going to bring it. I know she'll always, like, answer for me in a sense.

I think we feed off of each other very well.

TAYLON SNOW: I mean, it's awesome being able to see what they can do. Throughout our whole lineup, I feel we have each other's back. If the next person is on, the next person will pick them up. I told Jana Johns right after I lined out to left field to pick me up, she goes out and hits a home run. It's pretty awesome to see those things happen.

Q. Jocelyn, Coach Venables was in the stands as well as other football players. What does it mean to have their support?

JOCELYN ALO: Dylan told me he was going to come. I would have called him and said, Why aren't you here? It's a good thing he came.

Coach Venables, it's just cool to see. The sport is just continuing to grow. Now football players are coming. I think I seen Trae Young in the stands as well. People want to watch us play. They love to watch us play. They love to watch us dominate.

Yeah, I think it's super cool. It's only going to get better from here.

Q. Talk about what it's like to hitting home runs in this environment. And Taylon, could you talk about the depth of this lineup. What does that mean to have that power up and down the lineup?

TAYLON SNOW: I mean, having that power, I feel like it makes our lineup dangerous. It's comforting to know that we can go out there and just, like I said before, have each other's back. Hitting that home run in that environment, I mean, I feel like all of us can say it's crazy. It's really exciting.

That was my first one, but it's not about me, it's about the team. We got that W, so that's really all that matters.

TIARE JENNINGS: Yeah, like she said, I think it's very exciting, it's a dream come true. For me I like watching other people hit theirs. When I'm at home, I just love to celebrate them. To watch everyone do what they can do, hit home runs, I think that's super cool that bond we have at the plate when they come home.

JOCELYN ALO: Yeah, like both of them said, super cool. I think my favorite part is seeing the parents get the balls in the stands. For Taylon, with that being her first home run here, I'm sure it was extra special. I didn't get to see it. Jana Johns, time in and time out, hitting home runs, Tiare and my dad -- Uncle Nosh and my dad, just like pretending to be us. I think it's super cool to see. But yeah.

Q. You said something about preparation at the beginning, which I think is telling. You just beat a team 16-1. They saved a pitcher they can throw at you tomorrow. Could you talk about the approach. You just pounded this team, but tomorrow ace new day. How will you approach it?

TAYLON SNOW: Yeah, I think the approach just stays the same. We're going to come out and we're going to dominate. It doesn't matter who's on that mound, it doesn't matter what name across their chest that they're wearing. We're just going to come out and play Sooner softball.

TIARE JENNINGS: I think carrying the momentum from this game to the next game, like Jocey said, it doesn't matter who they're going to throw. Not matter what, we'll keep the momentum, keep applying the pressure, and go from there.

JOCELYN ALO: We're prepared. We're going to have the momentum. It's time to win another ballgame.

Q. Taylon, three of those home runs, what does that mean for this class to have this showing?

TAYLON SNOW: It's special. Just being able to do that on this stage with each other, for three of us in the super senior class, it's awesome.

But again, it's about this whole team. It's not just about one individual's performance. We all collectively got this W together.

Q. You guys have been very vocal about how your games kind of play off with one another. Do you feel like you're the best power hitting duo of all time because you're posting numbers we've never seen before?

JOCELYN ALO: Yes, I think we are (smiling).

TIARE JENNINGS: I'm going to let her answer that. So yeah (laughter).

JOCELYN ALO: I knew she wouldn't answer it (laughter).

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach, please.

Q. Obviously they were able to load the bases in that first inning. You were able to escape with just the one run. How big was that first inning in setting the tone for the rest of the game?

PATTY GASSO: It was really big for us. I know Hope had a little trip-up with some base-on balls. Luckily we got out of it relatively unscathed.

But to be able to come back and answer with five the way we did just really was the way we wanted to start the game. They punched first, but we purged back and we punched harder.

Then the goal became, and I'm looking down seeing pretty much it did, score in every inning and continue to score as many or as often as we can.

So I felt the pressure from our offense constant.

Q. Every hitter except one got a hit. She got a walk. Scored twice in the game. Every week we concentrate so much on Jocey and Tiare sometimes. This is a fantastic lineup. Today it certainly came through for you.

PATTY GASSO: Yeah, I'm really pleased with Jana Johns right now. She's swinging well. Taylon Snow has been waiting to break through. So today getting that, like the bottom of our lineup is really producing. Rylie Boone has been hot as well.

I don't know that people talk a lot about Jayda Coleman as much as they should. Putting her in the leadoff, she has taken over and allowed Tiare to go in behind Joce. That has made them that dynamic duo. But that is all really happening from Jayda Coleman finding her way on.

I look throughout the lineup, see people really doing a great job, especially like our seven, eight, nines are really stepping forward, turning the lineup over.

Q. Are you surprised at all at what this team is able to do, especially on this stage?

PATTY GASSO: I am not surprised. I think they showed me last year how good they could be offensively. I think having another year together showed they're not afraid of these settings. They really embrace all of this excitement and the big stage.

I think they're at their best when the lights are bright and the stage is big.

Q. Back to the first inning, what are your thoughts on the psychological impact of how you guys hit people hard all season long?

PATTY GASSO: I think it's got to be tough. I tell you with Texas, and I've said this before, they're the best hitting team, one of the best hitting teams that we've faced. With that being said, we want to help our pitchers, take off the pressure, try to give them breathing room, allow them if they're going to make mistakes that it's not going to hurt us as much.

I just felt today offensively the crowd was in, it was excitement of this first game. But I'll say one thing that we have over any other team, is the experience of playing in this game. That is big. If you have never been here before, it can be a little overwhelming.

I do think it's a psychological advantage for us when we come out and we jump early.

Q. With Jocelyn hitting that first-inning home run, the onslaught was on after that, is there ever any part of you that has to pinch yourself and remind you this is not normal, what she's doing, the numbers, the production? It's become so routine. Do you almost have to shake yourself to remind yourself?

PATTY GASSO: I do. I guess I know her so well that I just think that's who she is. When she comes up, I'm expecting her to hit a home run, probably like anybody else (laughter). It's ridiculous that I'm thinking that way.

But I see her at practice every day. I see what she's capable of. It's just so tough to beat her. She's so strong.

I'm spoiled, but I am not wowed by it because, like I said, I see it on a daily basis.

Q. I wanted to ask you about Grace Green. To see her in that moment, get that opportunity, what was that like for you?

PATTY GASSO: It was good to see her come back that way. She works hard. It's a stacked lineup. If you're not really in defense, it's hard to get into this lineup.

I have a lot of great potential designated players, but that's Jocey's spot, so where do I feed these other players?

Any time I can give that opportunity to Grace, I try to. We got some other freshmen in, as well, which is important for their experience going forward. So a lot of good things happened tonight. One of the real good ones was seeing Grace Green get that RBI.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.