Oklahoma softball racks up postseason honors
Oklahoma softball is No. 1 for a reason, and the postseason awards came flowing in on Wednesday. The Sooners had five players named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Americans.
Earning the honors are pitcher Jordy Bahl, third baseman Alyssa Brito, centerfielder Jayda Coleman, catcher Kinzie Hansen and second baseman Tiare Jennings.
This is the second straight year OU has had five First-Team selections and the fourth straight with at least three players on the team.
Bahl has led the nation’s best pitching staff with a team-high 159 strikeouts to go with a top-10 nationally 1.08 ERA. She’s allowing opponents to bat just .159 with a team-best six individual shutouts, has one complete game and three saves.
Brito leads Oklahoma with single-season career bests 17 home runs and 17 doubles, both ranking top-20 in the country, along with 59 RBIs and a .411 batting average. She has made a smooth transition to third base.
Coleman has been exceptional in centerfield once again as a junior, while her power numbers have increased. The three-time All-American has 16 home runs, 15 doubles and a team-high 66 runs scored and 15 stolen bases. She ranks in the top 20 nationally in on-base (.543), batting (.417), slugging (.816).
Hansen has been clutch for the Sooners, hitting 12 home runs, six doubles, while batting .415 with 53 RBIs. Behind the plate, the two-time All-American holds a .992 fielding percentage.
Jennings has continued to showcase her power in 2023 with 16 home runs, 15 doubles and team-high 72 hits and 60 RBIs. She has a .992 fielding percentage.
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Rawlings Gold Glove – Grace Lyons
Head coach Patty Gasso has said repeatedly there is no better shortstop in the game. Sounds like everybody else is in agreement with that one, too.
Lyons earns her first Rawlings Gold Glove after another tremendous year at shortstop. One jaw-dropping play after another in 2023.
“Grace is grace, the word “grace,” cool, calm, thought-provoked,” Gasso said. “She is like, ‘hear me, listen to me.’ She’s one of the longest standing in our program. So her experience shows, and when she speaks, everything gets quiet and everybody listens. So it’s like having easily another coach on the field.”
Lyons has three errors this season and a .975 fielding percentage. She has not committed an error in the last two months.
Up next for Oklahoma
No. 1 OU takes on Stanford at 1:30 p.m. Thursday to begin play in the Women’s College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. The Sooners beat Stanford 10-1 (6) nearly four months ago.
