Tag: Alyssa Brito

‘We truly just find joy in the grind’: Oklahoma Sooners ‘core five’ looking to make history

The Oklahoma Sooners have five players that have been here for all three championships, now they are looking to make history.

The 2020 and 2021 recruiting classes for the Oklahoma Sooners softball team were absolutely special. Five players remain from those classes.

[autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag] and [autotag]Rylie Boone[/autotag] from the 2020 class and [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Nicole May[/autotag] and [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] from the 2021 class. All five have a chance to win a national championship every year they’ve been eligible for one. The end of the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID pandemic.

All five have played major roles on those championship teams.

Coleman was asked if she’s taken a step back to reflect on the unprecedented success they’ve had so far. “I feel like we truly just find joy in the grind,” Coleman said. “It is truly fun to grind throughout the fall and even this time so when you get in the World Series, you feel so confident. Because you know that there is no one that has worked harder than you. Just the joy that this group has and like she was saying, we live for the Lord. So, when we know that it’s already written, we can just go out there and have a blast.”

The Sooners start their season on Thursday with a doubleheader and have four games from Thursday to Saturday in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. They then will have nearly a week off before they hit the diamond again to continue their title defense.

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‘We already have a good feel together’: Alyssa Brito, Tiare Jennings at home playing left side of infield together

While Jennings move to shortstop is new at Oklahoma, it’s something she has familiarity with as well as playing next to Alyssa Brito at 3rd.

We are one day away from the start of the 2024 softball season. The Oklahoma Sooners are in Puerto Vallarta for their first set of games.

But this year’s Oklahoma team has a big position to fill in their infield. Gone is [autotag]Grace Lyons[/autotag], who was a staple and leader for the team at shortstop for the past five seasons.

There had been some speculation about who would be taking that spot. Would it possibly be [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag]? Head Coach Patty Gasso shot that down, saying she was too good at third base to move. So Gasso announced at her press conference earlier in the week it would be [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] moving to short.

Jennings had started the past three seasons at second base. Brito spoke about the change of having Jennings closer to her in the field something she’s familiar with. “I played third next to her in travel ball,” Brito said. “It’s kind of just going back to the old days. We already have a good feel together. She constantly talks to me, and we’re on the same page at all times. So it’s been really fun again to be right next to her. But defense is really fun for both of us. Just communicating a lot and just experiencing so many years of us playing together, we’ve just got it down.”

The Sooners hope that familiarity means no drop-off with the loss of Lyons as they strive for their fourth straight national title.

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Tiare Jennings named top second baseman by D1Softball

Tiare Jennings has had a historic career which is why it’s no surprise she tops D1Softball’s second baseman power rankings.

We have now reached less than two weeks before the start of the 2024 softball season. The Oklahoma Sooners are once again the favorite to be crowned national champions.

A big reason why is they are loaded at just about every position. Earlier this week, we told you about Kinzie Hansen being named the top catcher in the sport, but now another Sooner has been named top at her position.

[autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] was named the top second baseman by D1Softball (subscription required). Jennings has had an incredible career, starting when she first stepped on the diamond back in 2021 as a true freshman.

Since then, she’s only expanded upon that. She has a career batting average of .427 with 73 home runs and 245 RBIs. She would need 84 RBIs to become the all-time RBI leader in NCAA history, passing Arizona’s Jenny Dalton. She has had more than 84 RBIs twice in her career.

She won’t be able to catch Jocelyn Alo as the home run queen, but she does have a chance at passing [autotag]Lauren Chamberlain[/autotag] for second place all-time. She would need 23 home runs to do that, which is also something she’s done twice in her career.

This year could be a year of making history. Oklahoma could be the first team to win four straight national championships, and Jennings could make some history of her own.

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6 Sooners named to USA Softball’s Preseason National Player of the Year Watch List

6 Oklahoma Sooners were included in USA Softball’s preseason National Player of the Year watch list.

The Oklahoma Sooners are about to embark on another incredible journey when the 2024 season gets started. Owners of a record 53-game winning streak, they’ll have a chance to further extend their historic achievement deep into the year.

They’ll have a couple of top 10 battles with Washington and Duke on the first weekend of the season in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. But if they can pass those tests, there’s no telling when the streak could come to an end.

The Sooners will get everyone’s best shot yet again in 2024, but they’ve got the talent to withstand every salvo, just like they did last year. Though they’re replacing Jordy Bahl, Grace Lyons, and Haley Lee, they brought in a talented freshman class and a number of impactful transfers to retool the roster.

But there’s more than enough talent to have another magical season and it starts with the six Sooners that were named to USA Softball’s National Player of the Year watch list.

7 Sooners included in D1Softball’s top 100 players entering 2024

The Oklahoma Sooners were well-represented in D1 Softball’s top 100 players ahead of the 2024 season.

The top team in the nation for the last three seasons is reloaded and ready to defend their crown in 2024.

Riding a 53-game winning streak, the Sooners enter the season as the No. 1 team in the nation and look to win a record-setting fourth-consecutive national title.

Though they experienced some turnover, like the loss of Jordy Bahl to Nebraska, the Sooners are still the most talented team, top to bottom. They have a deep lineup and once again a deep pitching staff thanks to Patty Gasso and Jennifer Rocha’s recruiting at the high school ranks and via the transfer portal.

Seven Sooners were represented in D1Softball’s preseason top 100 players (subscription required) in college softball. Oklahoma claimed two of the top six spots, four in the top 15, and six players in the top 26 in the nation. Five of those six are returning from the 2023 season.

Stanford was the only other team with multiple players in the top 15, with [autotag]NiJaree Canady[/autotag] ( No. 4) and [autotag]Taryn Kern[/autotag] (No. 12). Former Sooner [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] came in at No. 2 in the nation behind Clemson’s Valerie Cagle at No. 1.

Here’s where the seven Sooners landed in the annual preseason ranking.

7 Oklahoma Sooners named to preseason All-Big 12 first team

The Oklahoma Sooners led the way with seven players selected to the 2024 preseason All-Big 12 team

The Oklahoma Sooners led the way with seven preseason All-Big 12 selections. Texas was the only other school with multiple selections to the All-Big 12 team with five.

The Sooners are about to embark on a season that could continue to provide historic moments.

When Oklahoma opens the year, they’ll look to extend their record 53-game winning streak as they look to be the first team in college softball history to win four straight national titles.

The Sooners were the preseason No. 1 team in the Big 12 and in the nation, according to D1Softball.

It’s a talented squad despite some transfer portal departures. Here’s a look at the seven Sooners selected to the preseason All-Big 12 team.

9 Oklahoma Sooners included in D1Softball’s top 100 players from 2023

After a historic year, nine Oklahoma Sooners were featured in the top 50 of D1Softball’s top 100 players of the 2023 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners had a historic year. They had a record-breaking win streak that reached 53 games by the end of their national championship three-peat. The three national titles in a row mark only the second time it’s been done in the history of the sport under the NCAA.

You have to go back to the early days when UCLA won three in a row in the 1980s. At a time when the talent is at an all-time high and it’s spread throughout the nation, Patty Gasso’s Sooners beat the best of the best on their way to their third straight national championship and a 53-game win streak to close the season.

It was a total team effort, but there were several individuals that played significant roles along the way to help Oklahoma secure its seventh national title in school history.

Reflecting on the offseason, D1Softball ranked the top 100 players from the 2023 season, and nine Oklahoma Sooners were included in the top 50. Let’s take a look.

What can we expect from Oklahoma softball in 2024?

After a tremendous 2023 season, what can we expect from Oklahoma Softball in 2024?

The Sooners are days removed from winning their seventh national title and third straight. But it’s never too early to look at what 2024 has in store.

After the incredible 2022 season, many thought the Sooners would take a dip after losing arguably the best player of all time, Jocelyn Alo.

Not only did they not take a dip in 2023, they were even better, finishing 61-1 and on a 53-game-winning streak.

So, what can fans expect for the 2024 season? Well, it’s not fair to ask the Sooners to be better than were. Sure, they can be. But that would be asking them to do something that’s never been done before.

No team has gone undefeated. To be fair, no team had gone a whole season with only one loss until Oklahoma did it.

Next year is shaping up to be a great season. The Sooners lose Alex Storako, Grace Lyons, Haley Lee and Grace Green.

Those are big losses for the team. Storako was one of the game’s best pitchers. Lyons might be the best shortstop to ever play. Lee was a huge contributor this year after transferring from Texas A&M. Green was a role player off the bench who always seemed to get a hit when called upon.

But look for the Sooners to reload. Kierston Deal was the nation’s No. 1 player coming out of high school in 2022 and had some really good moments as a true freshman. She will most likely replace Storako.

Jocelyn Erickson was a top-10 player in that class. She flashed this season as well and will most likely get more playing time in the designated player role and in a platoon with Cydney Sanders at first base.

The Sooners also return a bunch of talent. Tiare Jennings, Jordy Bahl, Jayda Coleman, Kinzie Hansen, Nicole May, Cydney Sanders, Alyssa Brito and Rylie Boone are returning. All five of the players named to the NCAA All-Tournament team are on that list.

That doesn’t even include the additions in the recruiting class or the transfer portal.

It’s unclear what the Sooners’ record will be next year. But one thing is for sure, softball fans nationwide better get used to it because as long as Patty Gasso is at the helm, the Sooners will be contenders.

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Oklahoma should target Indiana All-American Taryn Kern in the transfer portal

If the Oklahoma Sooners are looking to add another bat to their lineup, Indiana transfer Taryn Kern may be the answer.

The Oklahoma Sooners have done a fantastic job retooling their roster with their high school recruiting prowess and through the transfer portal. Oklahoma’s star power is homegrown, but there’s no denying the impact the portal had on this year’s team.

[autotag]Alex Storako[/autotag], [autotag]Haley Lee[/autotag], [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag], [autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag] and [autotag]Cydney Sanders[/autotag] played significant roles in Oklahoma’s 61-1 national championship season. With Storako and Lee out of eligibility and Grace Lyons departing, there’s room for the Sooners to dip into the portal for an infusion of talent.

One player they should take a look at is Indiana’s [autotag]Taryn Kern[/autotag]. Kern led the Hoosiers with a .404 batting average, 23 home runs, 68 RBIs and 68 runs scored. Each of those marks broke Indiana softball single-season records. She was second in the nation in home runs and fifth in runs batted in.

In the NCAA tournament, Kern hit ,300 with one home run, two RBIs, and three runs scored in four games in the Knoxville Regional.

As a freshman, Kern was a D1Softball All-American and NFCA second-team All-American and an NFCA freshman of the year finalist in 2023. Kern was Big Ten Freshman of the Week six times and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2023.

She played second base for Indiana, which would either require Kern or [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] to move to shortstop.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a great deal of talent coming back for the 2024 season, and they will be the favorite to win the national title yet again. But if they wanted to bolster their ranks further, taking a run at Kern would provide another great bat to the lineup.

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Jordy Bahl shuts out Florida State, leads Oklahoma Sooners to 5-0 win

The Sooners got a fantastic performance from Jordy Bahl, who recorded 10 strikeouts in Oklahoma’s 5-0 win over Florida State in game one of the Women’s College World Series.

The Oklahoma Sooners got off to a great start in their Women’s College World Series championship showdown with Florida State with a 5-0 win to take game one.

[autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] got the start for the Sooners and she was absolutely dominant. Bahl kept the Florida State bats at bay, allowing just two hits and a walk in a complete game shutout. She struck out 10 Seminoles. It was the second time in the last week that Bahl recorded a complete game shutout after blanking the Cardinal 2-0 in an 11-strikeout performance.

It took a while for Oklahoma’s offense to get going in this one. But with Bahl dealing, they could afford to be patient at the plate.

But in the fourth inning, the Sooners broke through. [autotag]Haley Lee[/autotag] reached on a hit-by-pitch after Patty Gasso successfully challenged the call at the plate. Then Gasso inserted Bahl to pinch run for Lee at first. And Bahl made the call look genius on [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag]’s double, coming all the way around from first to put the first run of the game on the board.

After Hansen advanced on a passed ball, [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] brought her in with an RBI single to make it 2-0. Brito advanced to second on a fielder’s choice before going to third on [autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag] single that died at the plate. Brito scored on a throwing error on the play, putting Oklahoma up 3-0.

Bahl provided the shutdown inning in the bottom of the fifth, retiring the Seminoles in order.

In the bottom of the fifth, [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] reached on a bunt single and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. Hansen came through again with her second RBI again, driving Coleman in from second base.

[autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] added an RBI single in the fifth to make it 5-0 and set a new record for RBIs in a career in the Women’s College World Series with 29 in her three trips to the Women’s College World Series.

Kinzie Hansen continued her hot run through the NCAA tournament, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. She’s batting .500 throughout the postseason and has three home runs and 13 RBIs for the Sooners.

But the story of the game was the pitching. Jordy Bahl has been the most outstanding player of the Women’s College World Series. She’s 4-0 and hasn’t allowed a run in 21.2 innings pitched in the WCWS, and has 30 strikeouts across four appearances.

Oklahoma forced Florida State to use four pitchers to keep from utilizing their ace Kathryn Sandercock, who will most assuredly start game two against the Oklahoma Sooners. [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag] will have a decision to make between Alex Storako and Nicole May in game two of the series.

The Sooners and Seminoles square off Thursday starting at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. Game three, if necessary, will be played on Friday on ESPN at 7 p.m. CT.

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