Published: May 16, 2008 02:49 am            

Anderson quickly finds a place with Sooners

Former Santa Fe star cracks starting lineup as a freshmen

Oklahoma freshman left fielder Haley Anderson is used to being watched. The speedy outfielder drew the attention of Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso since she was a sophomore at Edmond Santa Fe. And after Anderson signed with the Sooners last year, she was again the focus of Gasso’s attention, as the Sooners head coach searched for a starting left fielder this spring.

“I was platooning my freshman class, and giving them opportunities to win the spot in left field, and of all of the them Haley was best defender, and I thought If she could be more consistent on offense, she could have it.”

Anderson earned more playing time during OU’s trip to Palm Springs, Calif. in early February. She began developed more consistency at the plate, and was the team’s starting left fielder when Big 12 play got underway. And when the Sooners take the field tonight in the NCAA regional tournament against Oregon, the freshman from Edmond will be there in left field.

Anderson admits playing for a softball powerhouse like Oklahoma has been a dream of hers since she began playing the sport with her cousins at a young age.

“It’s amazing to play at Division I level and to play at a top ten school,” Anderson said. “It was surreal at first.”

While Anderson quickly earned a starting spot, the transition was not an easy one at first. After hitting a mind-blowing .515 batting average her senior year with the Lady Wolves, Anderson found herself struggling with college pitching.

That all changed on March 22, when Anderson went smacked her first career home run in her seventh career start, to lead the Sooners past Kansas. Four days later, Haley got another confidence boost when she hit her second home run of the year, and drove in five runs as the Sooners set school records for hits and runs in the 23-1 victory over Central Arkansas. Haley went on to hit .302 in conference play, and finished the season with a .253 batting average.

“That was a great feeling, glad to be part of record breaking night, it was something I was dreaming off,” Anderson said.

Gasso knew what type of player she had when she recruited Anderson, but said she has been impressed with her steady climb this season. She believes Anderson has the great physical tools to become an elite player at the college level, but said the young player is often her biggest critic.

“What she has about her that intrigued me is her passion to play, it’s infectious,” Gasso said. “One thing she needs to work on is not getting so hard on herself, but she’s continuing to learn and absorb.”

        

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