Blue is the warmest color...
As one of college softball's most formidable programs, Oklahoma has had a lot of time to refine itself and its tactics as it seeks yet another national title. This year's Women's College World Series, then, represents the perfect time to put those tricks to use.
The Sooners tend to take the field with a burgundy disposition. That doesn't mean they only have love for one color, however. And when star catcher Kinzie Hansen squats behind home plate to corral unruly pitches, she does so clad in not just her traditional backstop regalia but also with a lump of blue tape residing on her chest plate.
Hansen's selection tends to draw quizzical glares. Is it for style or substance? A tribute to the Smurfs or an interpretation of Blue Man Group? Everything is up for debate among social media circles.
However, there is a simple reason why Hansen sports the azure armor, and let's just say, it's paid off handsomely in the year since it started.
Oklahoma softball catcher blue tape
Oklahoma's desire to scrawl its catcher equipment in blue tape comes from its desire to win more games than its opposition. Point. Blank. Period.
The Sooners started employing the tactic in 2023 when star pitcher Jordy Bahl was in the circle. The then-sophomore wanted to have a better sight of her target. So, OU's backstops began drenching their chest protectors in a sea of color, covering their sternums in strips of blue tape when she took the bump.
The move worked a charm. Prior to the tape's arrival, Bahl was 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA. In 29 innings, she had surrendered 14 walks.
After? Bahl went 17-0 with a 0.52 ERA. She gave up just two home runs and 22 walks in that stretch of games.
“I think the blue is just more of something to lock her eyes on,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said of the tape, per The Oklahoman. “It’s nothing. There’s no big philosophical story behind it. It’s just locking your eyes on it, and it’s just a different color than the guard, chest protector.”
Fueled by the connection between OU's battery, the Sooners raced to a seventh national championship. Bahl was a pivotal figure in the conquest, painting an 11-strikeout masterpiece to vanquish Stanford in last year's title game.
Although she left the program shortly thereafter — Bahl transferred to Nebraska in the hopes of being closer to home — Bahl's legacy remains tethered to Oklahoma's chest (protector).
