Jordy Bahl reveals excitement to get out of Big 12 play

Oklahoma dominated Big 12 play with a 51-1 record but count Jordy Bahl as someone who is excited to move on and play some new teams. Over the past two months, the Sooners have played only four teams outside of the conference.

That included two games this past weekend at the Big 12 Softball Championship in Oklahoma City, where the team won both of its games to win the conference title.

It has, suffice to say, been a very successful run in the Big 12 for Oklahoma. But Bahl is ready for the challenge of some new opponents.

“By the time you get to the tournament, it almost feels like you’re playing cat and mouse games at times because you’ve seen them a lot of times but they’ve also seen you,” Bahl said after the Big 12 Tournament championship game. “It’s just always trying to level up with your preparation and your gameplay.”

The Sooners entered the postseason as the runaway No. 1 team in the country and a heavy favorite to lift two trophies in Oklahoma City, first the Big 12 title and then the NCAA title. They’ve gotten one title and now have their sights on another.

“It’ll be fun,” Bahl said after the tournament and before the NCAA Tournament bracket was announced. . “I’m excited to see who is going to be in our regional and lock in on them.”

The Sooners now know who they are going to play in their Regional. The three other teams in the Norman Regional are Missouri, California and Hofstra. They will first play against Hofstra before playing the winner of the Golden Bears and the Tigers.

With Oklahoma being the No. 1 seed in the bracket, the winner of the Norman Regional will play the winner of the — which features No. 16 Clemson, Auburn, Cal State Fullerton and UNC Greensboro — in a Super Regional.

Whichever teams face the Sooners in the postseason after Hofstra will have to go against the best pitching staff in college softball. Oklahoma does not have a pitcher with an ERA above 1.15 ERA. That pitcher is Bahl, who was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year.

“We have a really special staff,” Bahl said after winning the Big 12 Tournament. “Throughout the entire season, we’ve kind of been all working on staying in our routines, finding our rhythm and knowing what helps each other get back into that. Whenever one’s out on the mound, it’s always three that are right there behind her in the dugout.”