Mackenzie Donihoo medically retires from Lady Vols

Mackenzie Donihoo medically retires from the Lady Vols.

Mackenzie Donihoo will not return to Tennessee for the 2024 softball season, her fifth season of eligibility.

She medically retired after helping Tennessee advance to the Women’s College World Series in 2023.

“For the last several years, I have battled lingering injuries and after much prayer and discussions with my family, coaches, teammates and doctors — I have made the incredibly difficult decision to step away from the game I love so much and medically retire,” Donihoo announced.

Donihoo played one season for the Lady Vols after transferring from Oklahoma.

She started 61 games for Tennessee in 2023, recording a .268 batting average, seven home runs, 32 RBIs and 53 runs. Donihoo led the Lady Vols with 15 doubles in 2023.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Mackenzie Donihoo signs with Tennessee

Mackenzie Donihoo signs with Tennessee.

Tennessee has signed transfer Mackenzie Donihoo from back-to-back women’s College World Series champion Oklahoma.

Donihoo recorded a .317 batting average, 10 home runs, 65 RBIs, 11 doubles and 64 runs since 2020 with the Sooners.

Donihoo has two years of eligibility remaining. She played in 115 games, starting 73 contests, at Oklahoma.

Lady Vols’ head coach Karen Weekly said Donihoo will be a valuable addition to the Tennessee program.

“I love the passion and grit Mackenzie brings to the game,” Weekly said. “She has proven herself on the biggest stage in softball. She’s versatile and can play on both the dirt and grass. We’re excited she’s a Lady Vol.”

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Jordy Bahl fans 14, Oklahoma softball makes statement in win over No. 3 UCLA

Freshman pitcher Jordy Bahl struck out 14 UCLA hitters and the Sooners topped the No. 3 Bruins, 4-1.

In a battle of two of the sport’s titans, No. 1 Oklahoma delivered a statement to the college softball world that the defending champions are every bit as good as 2021. In fact, the Sooners might be better.

OU topped No. 3 UCLA, 4-1, in the Mark Campbell Invitational in Irvine, Calif., as freshman pitcher Jordy Bahl baffled Bruins’ bats. Bahl struck out 14 UCLA batters, demonstrating that OU has found its new ace.

It was the most strikeouts by a Sooner pitcher since Giselle Juarez sat down 16 against Wisconsin in the Norman Regional in 2019 and the most by a Sooner freshman since Keilani Ricketts struck out 15 versus Texas A&M on April 10, 2010.

Bahl secured her second win of the season and now has 24 strikeouts in 12.2 innings.

Oklahoma head softball coach Patty Gasso shared some thoughts on Bahl’s performance against one of the country’s best teams afterwards. Eyes On Oklahoma newsletter and podcast host Joe Buettner shared Gasso’s postgame sentiments.

“For a freshman, just off the charts. I just think about it, when I look at her, I think about the future. But if you saw the kind of work that she puts in, she came in ready. She came in fit. She came in with all the tools and she’s just a workaholic. She works her tail off. She doesn’t take a day off,” Gasso said.

“She’s been training to compete at a whole other level and never do I think, ‘Okay, she’s struggling, let’s get her out.’ Even after some of those illegal pitches, didn’t really faze her. She just figured [it out]. I mean, just back to her drive. We got something special and I felt that this game—although it’s only our fourth game of the season—it just took her to another place of understanding about how this level and this elite game of what it feels like. So, it was really important for her to feel that.”

With Bahl surrendering just four hits, three walks and one unearned run, Oklahoma’s offense wasn’t pressed to score runs. OU did jump in front first during the second inning when senior Taylon Snow delivered an RBI single to score senior Jana Johns.

Then, after UCLA had tied it following an Oklahoma throwing error in the third, the Sooners answered right back. A hit by pitch to senior Grace Lyons and Johns’ second hit of the game set the stage for a two-run response. Junior Mackenzie Donihoo scorched an RBI single up the middle to score Lyons and senior Lynnsie Elam added an infield single to score Johns.

OU added an insurance run in the sixth after three Bruins errors allowed pinch runner Hannah Coor advance home to deliver the winning margin of 4-1.

To date, Oklahoma has outscored its opposition 32-1 while racing out to a perfect 4-0 start. Oklahoma concludes its play in the Mark Campbell Invitational on Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Sooners battle UC-San Diego.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Oklahoma Sooners are unanimous No. 1 in DI softball’s 2022 preseason top 25

The staff over at DI Softball voted the Oklahoma Sooners unanimous No. 1 in the 2022 preseason rankings.

Just as they did at the plate several times during the 2021 season, the Oklahoma Sooners are looking to go back-to-back heading into 2022. Instead of homers though, they’re looking to collect back-to-back national championships.

Returning a roster that made run rules the standard in 2021, the Sooners look primed to make another run at the 2022 College World Series and national championship.

DI Softball recently released its preseason rankings, and the Oklahoma Sooners were named the unanimous No. 1 heading into the 2022 season.

Oklahoma set an NCAA record with 161 home runs a season ago and held the top position in our rankings for the majority – since Week 3 – of the 2021 season. – DI Softball Staff

Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma Sooners return the key components to their dominant offense from 2021: Jocelyn Alo, Tiare Jennings, Jayda Coleman and emotional sparkplug Mackenzie Donihoo.

Oklahoma will have to replace Giselle Juarez and Shannon Saile, the key pitchers from the 2021 College World Series. Both have graduated, and Saile has moved into a graduate assistant role. Nicole May, who was great for the Sooners at times in 2021, will be expected to take on a larger role this season.

Oklahoma opens its season Feb. 10 in California against UC Santa Barbara. The Sooners will take part in several tournaments to start the season. Traveling to southern California, Houston and back to California before they host their home opener against Minnesota on March 7 at Marita Hynes Field. After that one-off at home, Jocelyn Alo will lead the Oklahoma Sooners to the power hitters’ home state of Hawaii for the Rainbow Wahine Classic. The team returns to Oklahoma City for the Hall of Fame Classic on March 18. Big 12 plays opens against Baylor on March 25.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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When, where, how to watch Oklahoma softball at home this weekend

Oklahoma softball will host a four-game home-stand this weekend Here is everything you need to know about the Sooners weekend at home.

Oklahoma softball isn’t off to the start they had hoped for, but they’re quickly improving.

The Sooners have battled injury and youth early this season, losing four of their 20 games played and dropping from preseason No. 3 to No. 6.

Among Oklahoma’s biggest concerns are pitching consistency and freshman play, both of which looked vastly improved in Oklahoma’s last game on Wednesday.

After freshman Olivia Rains got off to a shaky start against the Shockers, senior Shannon Saile entered the game and threw the remaining seven innings, allowing just one run and striking out five batters. At the plate, the Sooners hit three home runs, but the story of the night was freshman Mackenzie Donihoo. Donhioo has struggled at the plate all season, but had a big hit that scored two and got the ball rolling for the come-from-behind 8-5 win over WSU.

The Sooners have been at home since Feb. 28, and now have four games at home before they begin the OU Tournament next weekend.

Here is everything you need to know about Oklahoma’s weekend at home.


WHERE: Norman, Oklahoma

WHEN:

Friday—2:30 p.m. CT against Mercer and 5 p.m. CT against Utah

Saturday—2:30 p.m. CT against Murray State and 5 p.m. CT against Missouri State

HOW TO STREAM: FloSoftball, SoonerSports.tv

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