OU softball rewind: Sooners ace Jordy Bahl getting chances at the plate early
Jordy Bahl was a sensation last season in the circle for OU softball.
She figures to get more of a chance at the plate this season after going just 1 of 8 at the plate last season.
Bahl doubled her hit total from her freshman season over the Sooners’ first five games this season, helping OU to a 5-0 start at the Mark Campbell Invitational last weekend in Irvine, California.
Bahl went 2 for 8. She also scored the game-winning run in the Sooners’ 1-0, eight-inning win over Liberty on Thursday.
Bahl pinch ran to start the eighth, then scored on an error to give OU the victory.
In the season-opening 4-0 win over Duke, Bahl had her first career extra-base hit, driving in a run in the bottom of the second.
Bahl was excellent in the circle to start things off, throwing seven scoreless innings against the Blue Devils but struggled against Washington, allowing four runs and walking six in 3 ⅔ innings.
Here’s a look at the Sooners’ weekend overall.
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No. 1 OU
Overall record: 5-0
Last week: 5-0 (Beat Duke 4-0, beat Liberty 1-0 (8 innings), beat Stanford 10-1 (6), beat Washington 5-4, beat San Jose State 9-0 in five innings)
This week: At Getterman Classic in Waco, Texas (vs. Longwood, 12:30 p.m. Friday; vs. Stephen F. Austin, 12:30 p.m. Saturday; vs. Army, 5:30 p.m. Saturday; vs. Baylor, noon Sunday)
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Haley Lee, Sophia Nugent handle plate duties with Kinzie Hansen out
With Kinzie Hansen not available to start the season, after surgery on her appendix, Sophia Nugent and Haley Lee split time behind the plate over OU softball’s opening weekend.
Lee, the Texas A&M transfer, started all five games — either behind the plate or as the designated hitter — as the Sooners began the season 5-0.
OU outscored its opponents 29-5 in sweeping through the Mark Campbell Invitational in Irvine, California, over the weekend.
Lee was a big reason for the Sooners’ success, going 6 of 13 with five runs, five RBIs and a home run.
Hansen figures to remain out at least through this weekend but figures to return behind the plate for the Sooners soon.
Recently, OU coach Patty Gasso praised Hansen’s offseason work after the catcher struggled offensively last season.
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Nicole May comes up big
After an excellent 2022 season, OU pitcher Nicole May is heading toward an even better junior year, coach Patty Gasso said just before the season.
So far, so good.
May went 1-0 with a save in the opening weekend, throwing 11 ⅓ shutout innings, allowing five hits with five walks and striking out 18 in wins over Liberty and Washington.
After throwing eight scoreless innings in the win over Liberty, May came in relief of Jordy Bahl against Washington and delivered.
The Sooners were leading 5-4 when May entered with two outs and one runner on base in the fourth.
After walking the bases loaded, May struck out SilentRain Espinoza to get out of the jam.
The Huskies didn’t put another baserunner on until the seventh, when May got out of another jam.
Washington had the tying run on third and go-ahead run on second with no outs before May struck out back-to-back hitters, then got a groundout to end the game.
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Short hops
Tiare Jennings was 7 of 16 with four runs, three RBIs and a double, leading the Sooners in hitting over the opening weekend. … Grace Lyons was 6 of 13. … OU hit four home runs over the opening weekend, including a grand slam by Grace Green in Sunday’s 9-0 win over San Jose State. Freshman Jocelyn Erickson hit her first career home run in that win as well.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball: Sooners ace Jordy Bahl getting chances at the plate early
