Abby Dayton is Thriving in Her Second Season at Oklahoma

NORMAN — Abby Dayton’s second year with Oklahoma associate head coach JT Gasso is shaping up to be a memorable one.

The senior is in her second year with the program after transferring ot Norman from Utah, and she’s on pace for a career season.

Through 34 games, Dayton is hitting .478 with 11 doubles, a triple, a home run and she’s driven in 32 runs and walked 15 times while only striking out once.

She’s on pace for a career-high in batting average, and she’s already set new career-bests in doubles, home runs and RBIs halfway through the regular season.

Dayton even hit a grand slam in Sunday’s 14-2 win over Ole Miss.

She started her career working with Patty Gasso’s other son — current Arkansas assistant DJ Gasso — at Utah, but Dayton is loving her second season with JT. Still, she also credited her teammates for helping in her success.

“I think it's nice having JT as hitting coach, but also the people you surround yourself with,” Dayton said.

“Kendall (Wells) and Kas (Pickering), I hit right in front of both of them so being able to talk to Kas while I'm up to bat has really helped.”

Dayton has thrived in a familiar position to Oklahoma fans — the player tasked with turning the lineup over from the 9-hole.

Rylie Boone often tormented defenses from the bottom of the lineup to put a speedy player on the bases when the lineup rolled around to the top of the order, which put more pressure on opposing pitchers and defenses.

Dayton has started 20 games by hitting ninth in the order, including every SEC game, and she’s made the spot her own.

She’s not the only second-year player who has taken a major step forward after an additional year with JT Gasso.

Isabela Emerling is on pace for the best year of her career despite playing fewer games due to splitting time with Wells. She took a season to get acclimated to JT Gasso’s coaching style after transferring in from North Carolina, but like Dayton, Emerling has seen a major uptick in production.

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Even sophomore Gabbie Garcia is primed to set new career-highs across the baord as she develops under Gasso.

Those performances, paired with continued excellence from hitters like Pickering and Ella Parker and the breakout year from Wells, have the Sooners chasing down more history on offense.

“I’ve been here for a year, (I) kind of like have my feet to the ground,” Dayton said. “So (I’m) just being able to be really comfortable in my hitting abilities and (I’m) just trusting what I'm doing.”