SOFTBALL ’23: Oklahoma favored to win third straight title

Oklahoma is within the midst of one of the dominant runs ever in girls’s school softball.

Under coach Patty Gasso, the Sooners have received 5 of the previous 9 nationwide championships. They may add one other uncommon accolade this season by changing into the primary program since UCLA from 1988 to 1990 to win three consecutive titles.

Even with NCAA profession residence runs chief Jocelyn Alo having moved on to play professional ball, the Sooners are favored to win all of it once more. Oklahoma was the preseason No. 1 within the USA Today/NFCA Division I Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25.

Gasso doesn’t need to discuss profitable one other title but.

“We don’t talk about winning three,” she mentioned. “Those are words that we’re not really talking about around here because it’s premature. It’s really about the process. It’s the journey. It’s all of that, all the work we put in.”

It’s simple to see why Oklahoma is taken into account the group to beat.

Infielder Tiare Jennings would be the nation’s finest participant. She dominated eventually yr’s Women’s College World Series, setting information with 15 RBIs and 5 residence runs. She entered this season with 179 profession RBIs in simply two seasons. Infielder Grace Lyons and utility participant Jayda Coleman are dynamic defensive gamers who can hit and Kinzie Hansen is among the many nation’s high catchers.

Pitcher Jordy Bahl was the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Freshman of the Year final season. Veteran Nicole May and Alex Storako, a switch from Michigan, are amongst those that will help Bahl.

Oklahoma is profitable within the switch portal, too. Cydney Sanders, final yr’s Pac-12 Freshman of the Year at Arizona State, had 21 residence runs and 63 RBIs for the Sun Devils. Haley Lee, a third-team NFCA All-American final season, transferred from Texas A&M.

UCLA, which beat the Sooners for the title in 2019 and reached the semifinals final season, is prepared to problem. Pitcher Megan Faraimo is likely one of the nation’s finest, and the Bruins have the bats to again her up.

UCLA star Aaliyah Jordan was granted a seventh yr by the NCAA after her 2022 season was reduce quick due to a torn left ACL. The outfielder was a first-team NFCA All-American in 2018 and 2021 and a Softball America first-team All-American through the shortened 2020 season. She helped the Bruins win a nationwide title in 2019.

Maya Brady, a utility participant, was a first-team NFCA All-American in 2021. The niece of NFL nice Tom Brady hit two residence runs in a Women’s College World Series win over Oklahoma final season.

UCLA additionally was sturdy within the switch portal, including Arizona’s Sharlize Palacios and Janelle Meono and Oregon’s Brooke Yanez and Rachel Cid.

Oklahoma State has been knocking on the door. The Cowgirls beat Oklahoma to win the Big 12 Tournament final season and reached the WCWS semifinals. The Cowgirls have made three straight World Series journeys.

NFCA All-America pitcher Kelly Maxwell leads Oklahoma State, and she or he has loads of assist. Alabama switch Lexi Kilfoyl had 13 begins and a 2.36 ERA for the Crimson Tide final season. Freshman Kyra Aycock was one of many nation’s high pitching recruits.

Freshman infielder Tallen Edwards skipped her senior season at Southmoore (Oklahoma) High School to enroll and is already a starter. She was named the No. 3 total prospect in Extra Innings Softball’s 2023 Extra Elite 100.

Graduate senior Chyenne Factor and junior Katelynn Carwile return to anchor the outfield. Infielder Rachel Becker is at Oklahoma State after being a third-team All-American as a shortstop at Purdue final season.

Florida State must also be within the combine. Pitcher Kathryn Sandercock and utility participant Mack Leonard led a group that completed second within the Women’s College World Series in 2021 and was the No. 2 seed within the NCAA Tournament this previous season.

Texas reached the championship collection final season and could possibly be an element once more, with infielder Mia Scott and pitcher Estelle Czech main the cost.

The Southeastern Conference normally is within the combine, and it needs to be once more. Alabama options veteran pitcher Montana Fouts and outfielder Faith Hensley. Infielders Charla Echols and Skylar Wallace and outfielder Kendra Falby anchor a troublesome Florida squad. Arkansas may problem with slugger Hannah Gammill, infielder Kristina Foreman and pitcher Chenise Delce main the way in which.