The Clemson softball team has a daunting task ahead of it this weekend, but head coach John Rittman isn’t letting the pressure get to him or his team.
Clemson (49-10, 18-6 ACC) is set to take on Oklahoma in super regionals this weekend and enters the best-of-three series as the clear underdog to the No. 1-seeded Sooners, who are 54-1 on the year and have won 46 straight.
Speaking to the media Wednesday, Rittman acknowledged that Oklahoma has “set the standard” in fast-pitch softball but is confident that his team can shock the world.
“Why not us?” Rittman said when asked what he has told his team in preparation. “They’ve got a winning streak going, and they’re a great program; there’s no question about it — great players, great coaches. There’s a reason why they’re No. 1 in the country. But, like I mentioned earlier, the game doesn’t know who’s supposed to win. That’s why we play the game, and we’re going to go out there and give it our best shot.”
Like Oklahoma, the Tigers are coming off their own regional win last week. After struggling on offense for about a month, Clemson scored 31 runs over its four games in regionals, including a 17-run performance against UNC Greensboro to open regional play.
Rittman has continued to call his team “battle-tested” this year and thinks the ups and downs of the season could give the Tigers an edge in Norman, Oklahoma.
“We’ve played in a lot of big games in our program’s short history, and we’ve played in a lot of big games this year, so I know our team is up for the challenge,” Rittman added. “We’re a team that plays relaxed, we really do. We have a lot of fun when we play, and this weekend is going to be no different. Obviously, the stage is going to be different, but I think we’re well-prepared for what lies ahead.”
Clemson doesn’t have the 15 Women’s College World Series appearances that Oklahoma does, but with the lack of expectation comes a lack of pressure.
“Nobody’s giving us a chance, honestly, and I think that takes some pressure off of us to just go out there and play our game,” Rittman said.
The first pitch for Game 1 between the Tigers and Sooners is set for 2 p.m. EDT Friday.