Tag: Jordy Bahl

Nicole May has the production and the talent to be Oklahoma’s next ace

Nicole May showed throughout much of the 2023 season that she’s got the talent to be the Oklahoma Sooners next ace in the circle.

The news of Jordy Bahl’s transfer portal decision, which led her to Nebraska and back to her home state, was a shocking one. It took the softball world by surprise.

In the aftermath, it left many wondering what Oklahoma would do in the circle without the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Surely, [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag] and Jennifer Rocha will attack the transfer portal, but their answer for a frontline starter is already in-house.

For most of the 2023 season, it was [autotag]Nicole May[/autotag] and not [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] that was leading the Oklahoma Sooners in ERA. May finished with an ERA of 0.91 and Bahl, after a fantastic run in the NCAA tournament, finished with an ERA of 0.90.

In each of her three seasons in Norman, May has improved her stat line and been a big part of Oklahoma’s national championship runs. As a true freshman in 2021, May was 15-2 and allowed an ERA of 2.37 in 85.2 innings. In 2022, she was 15-1 and allowed an ERA of 1.31 in 91.2 innings pitched.

In 2023, May was 18-0 in 107.2 innings pitched and allowed opponents to hit just .161. She recorded 130 strikeouts to just 29 walks on the season to help the Sooners defend their national title. Early in the season when Bahl was going through her struggles, it was May and Alex Storako that stemmed the tide for the Sooners’ pitching staff.

May didn’t allow an earned run in her first 42 innings pitched across nine appearances. That included outings against NCAA tournament teams Liberty, Washington, Texas A&M, and Utah.

She wasn’t as dominant the rest of the year, but still had a complete game shutout against Baylor, allowed just one earned run in a win against Texas, and allowed just two runs in a win against Oklahoma State.

Against Stanford, May battled back from allowing a two-run home run in the first inning to retire 12 in a row from the second inning until she allowed a hit in the sixth. Though she allowed a lead, she hung in there long enough to get the Sooners to Bahl, who they needed as the game went to extra innings. May was dominant from the second through the fifth and probably could have gotten the Sooners through seven innings if necessary.

You can’t simply replace a pitcher that was as good as Jordy Bahl was in her time with the Sooners. But Nicole May has shown that she has what it takes to be at the front of the line for the Sooners in the circle. She’s won big games and has gotten better as she’s gone. She’s shown a resiliency that has been critical to Oklahoma’s success.

The Sooners will likely add a pitcher to go along with May, sophomore [autotag]Kierston Deal[/autotag], and redshirt freshman [autotag]S.J. Guerin[/autotag]. But no matter what they do, Oklahoma will be in great hands with Nicole May leading the way.

 

Could Oklahoma Sooners pursue Stanford transfer Alana Vawter?

The Oklahoma Sooners lost a pair of arms from their rotation this summer. Could they retool their pitching staff with Stanford transfer pitcher Alana Vawter?

Coming off a national championship three-peat, there’s an expectation the Oklahoma Sooners will continue to stockpile talent in an attempt to be the first team to win four consecutive titles.

That journey was made more difficult by some offseason departures. Grace Lyons, Alex Storako and Haley Lee were significant contributors to Oklahoma’s title run in 2023. Lyons was the best shortstop in the game during her tenure at Oklahoma.

Those losses were magnified by the departure of [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag], who opted to return to her home state to play for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Though Oklahoma’s in good shape with Nicole May and Kierston Deal in the circle, there’s a chance the Sooners will bring in a veteran pitcher as they’ve done the last couple of seasons. In 2022, Hope Trautwein transferred in and made a huge impact. In 2023, Alex Storako arrived after a successful career for Michigan.

One name to keep an eye on is Stanford transfer Alana Vawter. Vawter, an All-American in 2023 has a career ERA of 1.75 with 77 wins and an opponents batting average of .220.

In the Women’s College World Series, Vawter allowed four earned runs across four appearances and 14.1 innings. Two of those runs came in a four-inning start against the Oklahoma Sooners. She kept the Sooners’ offense off balance early in the game with her ability to mix speeds.

Vawter is an experienced starter with 679 innings pitched and 527 strikeouts. She would make a great option to take over the Alex Storako role on Oklahoma’s pitching staff.

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Jordy Bahl is taking her talents to the Nebraska Cornhuskers

After two years at Oklahoma and two national championships, superstar pitcher Jordy Bahl is taking her talents to Nebraska.

The softball world was shaken on Monday when Jordy Bahl announced she would enter the transfer portal out of a desire to return to her home state of Nebraska.

A few days later, the game’s best pitcher has found her new home. Bahl announced she’ll continue her softball career with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

It’s a landscape-changing move that bolsters the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ national title aspirations.

The Cornhuskers reached the NCAA tournament in 2023, but were eliminated in the Stillwater regional after losing 6-5 to Wichita State in the opener and 5-2 to Oklahoma State in the regional final.

Nebraska ranked No. 148 in the nation in team ERA in 2023, but was 70th in runs per game this season. Their top two pitchers, Sarah Harness and Courtney Wallace, each had an ERA above 3.4.

The addition of Bahl and her career ERA of less than 1 gives the Cornhuskers a boost that could push them into Women’s College World Series contention. Nebraska finished fourth in the Big Ten in 2023, but with the addition of Bahl it will be a conference title contender in 2024.

It’s a big addition for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and a great spot for Bahl to land to be closer to family and in her home state. On Monday, the former Sooner stated, “I am excited thinking about growing the game that has provided me so many opportunities for growth in the home state, a current overlooked state for girls in softball at all ages, and I am excited to finish the softball journey right where it began.”

Softball has seen tremendous growth in the United States over the last two decades, and Jordy Bahl has been a huge part in its growth over the last two years. The move to Nebraska gives the sport and the broadcast partners another team with a superstar talent to build the product around.

She’ll be missed at Oklahoma but will still be must-see television with the Cornhuskers. Here’s a look at how social media reacted to the news.

D1Softball’s way-too-early 2024 Women’s College World Series predictions

Taking a way-too-early stab at the 2024 season, D1Softball shared their predictions on which teams make the Women’s College World Series next year.

Coming off a national championship three-peat it should come as no surprise that the Oklahoma Sooners are expected back in the Women’s College World Series in 2024.

Looking ahead to 2024, D1Softball issued its way-too-early predictions (subscription required) for which teams make next year’s WCWS.

Of course, Oklahoma is expected to be in the mix.

Even without Bahl, the Sooners aren’t going away. Oklahoma still brings back a lot of talent from its 2023 roster. Every major contributor returns for the back-to-back-to-back champions aside from Bahl, Alex Storako, Haley Lee and Grace Lyons. Kierston Deal’s role will likely increase and become the second arm alongside Nicole May. Expect the Sooners to also add another big-time pitcher through the portal like they have done in the past few seasons. Jocelyn Erickson or Sophia Nugent can fill the designated player role. Who plays shortstop is a big question, but there are plenty of candidates – and potential transfer additions – that could take over. – Brady Vernon, D1Softball

Nugent entered the portal, but Oklahoma has options on the bench to  replicate Haley Lee and Grace Lyons’ production from 2023.

From their No. 1 scoring lineup, the Sooners return everyone but Grace Lyons in the batting order. Jayda Coleman and Tiare Jennings lead the way for a squad hoping to do what no team has done: Win four in a row.

But they’ll have to do so without staff ace Jordy Bahl, who entered the transfer portal on Monday after two years with the Sooners.

Still, Oklahoma has Nicole May, who was fantastic in 2023, finishing with a sub-1.00 ERA. They’ll also put more on Kierston Deal’s plate after she  showed well in relief in 2023.

Here’s who D1Softball is predicting to be back in Oklahoma City in 2024.

Jordy Bahl named D1Softball’s Pitcher of the Year

After a fantastic season Jordy Bahl was named D1Softball’s Pitcher of the Year for 2023.

After a slow start to the 2023 season, [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] finished with a bang. She closed the season and her Oklahoma Sooners career by pitching 24.2 scoreless innings at this year’s Women’s College World Series. She finished the year with a 0.90 ERA, which helped her earn the Pitcher of the Year honor from D1Softball.

She was named Most Outstanding Player at the WCWS, and her 0.90 ERA for the season was second in the country behind Stanford’s NiJaree Canady.

Bahl performed her best when the competition was at its best. She had wins against Florida State, Tennessee, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Washington, Utah, Duke, Texas and Clemson. She was the ace of a very good pitching staff.

Bahl stunned the softball world by announcing this week she is transferring from Oklahoma back to her home state of Nebraska. Though Oklahoma returns Nicole May and Kierston Deal, and we haven’t seen anything from another signee from their 2022 recruiting class, S.J. Guerin, Oklahoma is going to miss Bahl a lot.

In her two years in Norman, Bahl was 44-2 and recorded 397 strikeouts for the Sooners. In more than 288.2 innings pitched, Bahl allowed 153 hits and 47 runs scored.

Though Bahl’s time in Norman has come to an end, her impact in Norman and on the sport of softball will continue. When the games mattered most, Bahl rose to the occasion and led the Oklahoma Sooners to their third straight national title.

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Superstar Oklahoma pitcher Jordy Bahl hinted at a ‘return home’ after entering transfer portal

The Nebraska native didn’t make it too difficult to figure out where she may be heading next.

Oklahoma pitcher Jordy Bahl stunned the college softball world on Monday.

Just days after leading the Sooners to their third-straight national title, Bahl — a two-time First-Team All-American and the Most Outstanding Player from the 2023 Women’s College World Series — announced her decision to enter the transfer portal on Twitter.

We don’t know where the sophomore superstar will land next, but we certainly have a good idea.

In her announcement, Bahl, a native of Papillion, Nebraska, said she was “excited to return home” and wants to grow the game “in the home state.”

“I am excited to return home and be Jordy Bahl the softball player, but more importantly the person,” she wrote. “I am excited thinking about growing the game that has provided me so many opportunities for growth, in the home state, a current overlooked state for girls in softball at all ages, and I am excited to finish the softball journey right where it began.”

It doesn’t take much reading between the lines to see what that might mean. Indeed, according to ESPN’s reporting, Bahl is expected to transfer to Nebraska.

Coming out of high school, Bahl was the No. 1 player in the country. She initially committed to the Cornhuskers before flipping to rival Oklahoma and legendary coach Patty Gasso.

As the team’s ace for the past two seasons, she played a major part in the success that culminated in a 53-game winning streak to end the 2023 season. She was the national freshman of the year in 2022, and this spring, she finished with a 22-1 record and a 0.90 ERA, the second-lowest in the nation.

While we await an official decision from Bahl, a Nebraska team that went 36-22 in 2023 and finished with a 2-2 showing at the Stillwater Regional may be about to get a massive boost heading into 2024.

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Jordy Bahl leaves Oklahoma with a lasting legacy in Norman and on the game

Jordy Bahl’s two years in Norman left a lasting impact on the Oklahoma Sooners and elevated softball to greater heights.

The transfer portal has opened the door for more player movement than ever before, and the Oklahoma Sooners have benefitted greatly from the portal. Whether it’s their Heisman-winning quarterbacks or the additions on the diamond, the Sooners have welcomed a lot of talent through the portal over the years.

Well, Monday marked arguably the University of Oklahoma’s biggest loss to the portal in star pitcher Jordy Bahl. Bahl announced via social media that she was entering the portal. Citing a desire to be close to family and raise the profile of softball in the state of Nebraska, Bahl is heading home.

Though she was in Norman for just two years, her legacy is cemented as one of the greatest to ever grace Marita Hynes Field for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Jordy Bahl was one of the two best pitchers in the sport in 2023, and after her run in the NCAA tournament and after outdueling NiJaree Canady, it’s easy to argue that she was the best pitcher in softball. It’s just a bummer that her time in Norman has come to an end.

But her departure doesn’t negate the impact she made and the legend she created.

Not only was she really good at what she did, her passion and ferocity in the circle made for incredible television. Bahl made a habit of turning it up a notch when opponents had runners on base and threatened to score. Regularly, she would find a way to work out of a jam and keep the opposition off the board.

The last three months of the season saw one of the more dominant runs the sport has ever seen, as she allowed just five runs in more than 100 innings of work from March 14 to the end of the season. That includes allowing just one run in the NCAA tournament and blanking all comers in the Women’s College World Series.

Back in 2022, Bahl earned the NFCA Freshman of the Year, was a two-time All-Big 12 selection, two-time All-American, and two-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year recipient. In her time with the Sooners, bahl threw a pair of perfect games. One in 2022 against Cal State Fullerton and one in 2023 against Southeastern Louisiana. In 2022, she set a freshman record for strikeouts with 16 against Tennessee.

In her two seasons, Bahl threw 26 complete games, 15 shutouts, and recorded 397 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .145 batting average in 2022 and .160 in 2023. She had a record of 44-2 in two seasons to help lead Oklahoma to national titles in both seasons in Norman.

Jordy Bahl’s departure will be felt. She was a beloved teammate. Simply go back and watch the embrace between Bahl and battery mate Kinzie Hansen when they clinched the national championship.

Look at the reactions from her teammates in the wake of her announcement on Twitter.

She did great things at Oklahoma and will no doubt do great things at her next landing spot. Jordy Bahl’s mark on the sport of softball is indelible. Whatever the future holds, she’ll have left a lasting impression in Norman and in the sport of softball with the passion and joy that she plays with.

Here’s a look back at some of the best photos of Jordy Bahl’s time with the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oklahoma’s Sophia Nugent enters the transfer portal

Oklahoma’s Sophia Nugent is entering the transfer portal.

In the wake of Jordy Bahl’s decision to enter the transfer portal, sophomore Sophia Nugent has also decided to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Nugent, who started 18 games for the Sooners in 2023, was a regular part of the lineup when the Sooners were missing Kinzie Hansen and Grace Lyons. Over the first month of the season, she hit better than .400.

Overall this season, Nugent, hit .274 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs. She appeared in 50 games and had a big-time sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third, which led to an insurance run, in the deciding game of the Women’s College World Series finals.

“For the last two years, I have had a wonderful time in Norman at the University of Oklahoma. It has been an honor to play for and learn from Coach Gasso, Coach Rocha, and Coach JT.

“I want to thank my teammates for two amazing seasons together and who have become lifelong friends.

“Thank you Jackie, Kylie, Brady, Toby, and all the support staff for everything they do. To the Sooner fans, I appreciate you for making me feel so welcome and loved.

“I have had a wonderful time in Norman, and I am grateful for having had the opportunity to play for the University of Oklahoma. I am excited for what the future holds.”

Nugent enters the transfer portal with two more years of eligibility remaining. She was the No. 3 player in the 2021 class according to Extra Inning Softball and Softball America. She is from Seal Beach, California, which is part of the metropolitan Los Angeles area.

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Twitter reacts to Jordy Bahl’s decision to enter the transfer portal

Social media reacts to the news that Jordy Bahl is leaving the Oklahoma Sooners via the transfer portal.

In a stunning move that sent shock waves through collegiate softball, Jordy Bahl announced she was entering the transfer portal.

The decision comes less than a week after Bahl helped Oklahoma secure its seventh national championship and third straight while capping a 61-1 season. Bahl was named the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA tournament after allowing one run throughout the postseason.

The move changes the landscape of college softball. Bahl would be a welcome addition to every team in the country, and the program that brings her in, immediately becomes a national title contender.

In the wake of the surprising news, here’s how the softball world reacted on Twitter.

‘I have decided to return home’: Oklahoma’s Jordy Bahl enters the transfer portal

Citing a desire to be closer to home, Oklahoma star pitcher Jordy Bahl is entering the transfer portal.

Just days after helping the Oklahoma Sooners capture their seventh national title and third straight to win Most Outstanding Player in the tournament, Jordy Bahl is entering the transfer portal.

Bahl was a key cog to the Sooners’ 2022 and 2023 national titles, playing a more integral role in 2023 after dealing with a shoulder injury that limited her in her freshman season.

Bahl was unhittable in the NCAA tournament, allowing one run in eight appearances, including three shutouts, two of which came in the Women’s College World Series.

The Sooners, who have been big-time beneficiaries of the transfer portal, now watch one of their own look for a new home.

In her statement on Twitter, Jordy Bahl said, “Nothing will compare to what this year and this team have been. From staring defeat in the eyes and never giving in, the behind the scenes grind, handling the mounting pressure that only grows each year, only the girls on this team will ever be able to fully understand.

“That is why this is such a bittersweet thing to do. I have decided to return home and play the game I love, closer to the things that me who I am and that have always been more important to me than this game. The most important thing in my life after my faith, is my family.

“For the last two years, despite the amazing opportunities and accomplishments, my love for home and the acknowledgment of my foundation have grown. Being away from these things has been very tough. Through the constant battles that the outsiders do not see, my teammates and coaches were always understanding, loving, and nothing but supportive. The bond developed with these girls can never, and will never be broken. My sisters in Christ.

“My respect for this program and how they do things the right way, and play the game with an unapologetic passion are all things I have learned and will take with me.

“My heart is full of gratitude and love for the girls, coaches, and people at the University of Oklahoma. I am excited thinking about growing the game that has provided me so many opportunities for growth in the home state, a current overlooked state for girls in softball at all ages, and I am excited to finish the softball journey right where it began.”

The Nebraska native will have every option available to her as she pursues her next college destination. And with what she did in the NCAA tournament and in her first two years in college, she could call any school in the country and she’d get a spot on the roster.

Shortly after the announcement, OU Head Softball Coach Patty Gasso released a statement of support, saying, “Jordy shared with our staff on Friday that she has been feeling a strong need to be closer to home for quite some time and that she planned to enter the transfer portal. It was a very candid and emotional conversation in which we both communicated our love and appreciation for each other.”

Gasso continued, “We are grateful for her tow years with our program and for everything she accomplished. She obviously was a huge part of our on-field success, but what I’ll always appreciate most about Jordy is her approach and dedication to the game, as she’s the ultimate competitor. We’re understanding of her situation and certainly want her to be the happiest she can be. We are supportive of her and she will always be part of the OU Softball family.”

Though it was such a short time in Norman, her performance became the stuff of legend. On a team full of great players, Bahl was Oklahoma’s best in 2023. Though it was a rough start to the season, her final few months as as Sooner helped Oklahoma run off 53 games in a row and win its third consecutive national title.

No matter what the future holds for Jordy Bahl, she’s one of the best players to ever put on the Crimson and Cream. She was as good as there was in college softball during her two years in Norman. And we were witnesses to her greatness.

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