OKLAHOMA CITY – There’s an old saying that it is a lot more fun to beat your friends than it is to beat someone you don’t know. I don’t know if that is full proof, but it is true much of the time. It’s simple, you’re going to spend a lot more time around someone you’re friends with than someone you’re not. Sight is a constant reminder. Oklahoma State head softball coach Kenny Gajewski and Florida Gators softball head coach Tim Walton go way back, way back to teenage days in California as baseball players at Cerritos Junior College. Now, they will spend the evening in opposite dugouts on Thursday in the 8:30 p.m. opener for both teams in the 2024 Women’s College World Series.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report
Gajewski was happy most of the press conference. He cried when talking about his friend.
“I recall one of the first nights that I got really close to Tim, but I can’t tell you all the details,” Gajewski joked. I will protect him and me as well.”
“Kenny and I have a great friendship, his family, his mom and his dad, I know all of them for a long time,” Walton said of Gajewski. “We’ve been friends since I was17-years-old, played ball in California together, and came to Oklahoma and won a championship together. My wife and I lived with him when I got the job at Oklahoma as an assistant coach.”
Gajewski and Walton transferred together from Cerritos to Oklahoma where as Sooners they won the 1994 College World Series in Omaha. Walton got into coaching softball. Gajewski was working in turf management and groundskeeping for athletic fields.
But then Walton after all the success at Oklahoma coaching under Patty Gasso made his way to Florida and became the successful head coach of the Gators.
“The one thing that I can tell you about TW is he’s loyal (long pause and a few tears),” Gajewski started to reach deep into his heart to talk about his close friend and WCWS rival coach. “I mean, he gave me a shot to get back in (to coaching) I’m just thankful because he is a great friend. I don’t want to cry. (pause and Lexi Kilfoyl put her hand on the coach’s shoulder) He’s just a good man and he has always shot me straight. I miss being around him a lot. It’s really cool to showcase his team and our team on this stage.”
Gajewski did cry. Walton hired him at Florida and then recommended him to Oklahoma State when they showed interest.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report
Tim Walton at the Florida pre WCWS press conference.
This has happened before as the Cowgirls and Florida played to open the 2019 Women’s College World Series. I think the further these two go in their careers, the more they look back and relish the impact they’ve had on each other as friends and competitors.
“We have a great amount of respect for each other,” Walton added. “He is like a brother to me. He’s amazing and he has done a great job.”
“I’m thankful for the doors he opened and I’m thankful to be on his (coaching) tree,” Gajewski added about Walton.
How close are they? They proved they don’t have to wait for the NCAA to seed them against each other in the Women’s College World Series. This spring while Oklahoma State was in Florida and following the Clearwater Beach Invitational, Gajewski was lamenting a couple of games missed due to rain. Walton and the Gators at home had lost a few games to Mother Nature.
“I’ll take the credit, I did, I called him,” Gajewski said. “I said, ‘hey, I know this is a long shot.’ One thing I know that he taught me was don’t play a game after an off day. Don’t play on Tuesday after your team had Monday off. We were both in that situation. I told him, ‘I really don’t want to play, but we both need to play.’”
Gajewski said Walton had to think about it. He called his friend and former boss a very intelligent and thoughful coach.
“He text me back, and I still have it in my phone, ‘Give me five,’” Gajewski recounted.
Walton said it wasn’t easy as he had to check with administration, facilities, find umpires, but it all came off.
“He text me back and said, ‘I want to play, so let run it up the ladder,’’ added Gajewski.”Within a few hours we had the game set.”
CourtneyCulbreath
Walton and Gajewski hug before they played in the 2019 WCWS opener.
The two teams played in front of close to 1,800 fans, mostly Florida Gator fans, but a large travel party following the Cowgirls. Ten No. 6 Oklahoma State won the contest 3-0 over then No. 16 Florida. Lexi Kilfoyl pitched a complete seven inning three-hitter and freshman Karli Godwin hit a three-run homer for all the offense.
Gajewski would take a repeat tomorrow night (Thursday) and Walton, he’d like to see his team get a little revenge on his old friend’s crew. Just know this, there will be more than a handshake between these two after the game.
