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The Oklahoma Sooners face the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a top 25 showdown, but what are the other top games this weekend.
The 2024 softball season is off and running, and tournament play from coast-to-coast continues this week.
The Oklahoma Sooners are heading west for the annual Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic for a five-game slate. Additionally, some fantastic matchups are happening in Austin, Raleigh and in Athens.
But what are the best matchups happening this weekend? Here’s a look at eight games we’re looking forward to.
Jocelyn Alo, Jordy Bahl, and Grace Lyons were named among the top 10 finalists for the 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
Oklahoma Sooners softball has had a tremendous 2022 in search of back-to-back national championships. They’re 45-1, the No. 1 team in the nation, and heading into Bedlam, the favorite to advance to the College World Series and win the whole thing.
Jocelyn Alo has been the headliner in her record-breaking season. She once again leads the Sooners in home runs and batting average. Alo is looking to become the second Sooner since Keilani Ricketts to win the award in back-to-back seasons. Ricketts won the award in 2012 and 2013 and was a member of the 2013 national championship team.
She’s having a tremendous year and is one of three Sooners to be named finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
But her season isn’t the only one that’s defined Oklahoma softball in 2022. The breakout year from Grace Lyons has been a key factor in the Sooners’ offense remaining deadly even as Alo gets walked or has an off day at the plate. And Lyons has come up clutch throughout the year as well, with multi-home run games and walk-off hits.
Though the offense carries a lot of the headlines, Jordy Bahl’s arrival to Norman has headlined a pitching staff that has been dominant in 2022. Bahl has become the ace of the staff, appearing in a team-leading 28 games and holds a 20-1 record with 191 strikeouts. The standout freshman has also been nominated for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award for her performance in 2022.
The award will be narrowed to three finalists on May 18 and announced prior to the start of the College World Series, slated to begin on June 2 at the USA Softball complex in Oklahoma City.
Here’s a look at the 10 finalists.
