SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
University of Oklahoma softball opponents, better you know this sooner, and of course you know the defending national champions never rebuild, they simply reload.
Well, to update their record, they are now 43-1 after hitting the road and blanking Big 12 Conference rival Kansas, 7-0, in the opener of the three-game set Friday. Next comes the regular season finale on Friday when they will play host to 6th-ranked Oklahoma State in a three-game weekend showdown.
It was their seventh straight victory after the 4-2 loss at district foe Texas back on April 14, plus its 32nd shutout as freshman phenom right-hander Jordy Bahl ran her record to 21-1, and went the route with 10 strikeouts and one walk. Oklahoma led 3-0 after one inning, upped it to 5-0 after five, and added two more in the sixth.
Leading the hit parade was sophomore Tiare Jennings with three hits, a pair of RBI, and scored twice. Sophomore Jayda Coleman added a single and a double, tallied twice to go with a pair of RBI, and stole two bases. Then there was Oregon transfer Alyssa Brito clouting a 2-run home run in the fifth frame, her 13th.
Now the news opponents would rather not hear.
No. 1, class of 2022 star pitcher Kierston Deal has decided to enroll at Oklahoma instead of first committing to South Carolina, where she had committed in December. She said she has chosen the Sooners to help her pursue her athletic and academic future.
She concluded her stellar career at Forsyth High School in Kernersville, N.C. with a senior season that brought a remarkable 0.72 earned run average and a state-best 292 strikeouts.
The Sooners didn’t stop there, for Deal joins shortstop Avery Hodge and pitcher Savannah Guerin in this recruiting class. After capturing its fifth national title in a best-of-three final against Florida State, Oklahoma should garner more high profile commitments as the offseason progresses.
It now lists six seniors, national record-holding career home run hitter Jocelyn Alo, shortstop Grace Lyons, pitcher Hope Trautwein, third baseman Jana Johns, and utility player Grace Green. No matter, for it just reloads.
Said Deal, who was recruited by over 100 schools: “I am so blessed and exited to announce that I will be continuing my athletic and academic future with the University of Oklahoma. I can’t thank my family, coaches and community enough. And shout out to the coaches for believing in me and giving me this amazing opportunity.”
