'Just a Baller': Freshman Allyssa Parker Juggling Multiple Roles for Oklahoma

NORMAN — Allyssa Parker paused a bit at the question.

Last weekend, the Oklahoma freshman was asked whether she had a preference for hitting or pitching.

“That’s a hard one,” Parker said. “I like both. I don’t know.”

Patty Gasso intervened.

“You probably shouldn’t pick one or the other,” the Sooners coach said.

Parker is unique among players that Gasso has coached.

So far, the Pocola product is hitting .429 with eight home runs and a team-high 1.769 OPS. She’s also drawn 20 walks, second only to Kasidi Pickering on the best offense in college softball.

Parker also continues to carve out a role in the circle.

In four appearances, three starts, Parker has a 4.08 ERA and seven strikeouts in 12 innings.

She’s played every position outside of right field third base and catcher so far and has just one error in 57 chances.

“I haven’t had one that can do three things so well, and she can,” Gasso said. “It is challenging to know how to use her and the re-entry rule and all that stuff. But it’s valuable — so valuable — for us.”

The closest comparison to Parker so far among OU players is Keilani Ricketts, and Gasso said it’s difficult to juggle the schedules to a two-way player like Parker gets enough reps at both.

Add in Parker’s fielding at multiple positions, and it becomes even more difficult.

“They have to get their hitting time and then the pitching coach is like, ‘I didn’t get enough time,’” Gasso said. “Everybody is pulling her. Her defense is solid and her offense, she definitely needs to continue her swings.

“I want to see a little more time for her in the bullpen. I think she needs more.”

Read More Oklahoma Softball

Gasso said Parker was more of a “thrower” than a “pitcher” at this stage.

“But she can get away with that because she is so athletic and she can throw it by you and maybe it doesn’t do what she wants it to do,” Gasso said. “I think more time in the bullpen would serve her well because we do want to continue to use her on the mound.”

Parker and the sixth-ranked Sooners take on North Texas at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Denton, Texas before playing four more at home this weekend.

So far, Parker is enjoying balancing things, even if it takes some work.

“It took a minute for me to settle in and get used to it, but it’s great having a staff and coaches that are really on top of it and helping me with that,” Parker said. “Just having really good time management and making sure I get in all aspects of the game as much as I need to.”

Sooners’ second baseman Ailana Agbayani knows a bit about what Parker is going through.

During her first two seasons in college at BYU before transferring to Oklahoma, Agbayani was a two-way player, making 32 appearances in the circle over two seasons and totalling 54 2/3 innings.

“I think the hardest for me was probably juggling my time in between pitching, fielding and hitting,” Agbayani said. “It’s very hard to find time to perfect your craft in each of those areas but I think she’s doing a great job.”

Agbayani gives high praise for Parker’s performance so far.

“She’s literally just a baller straight out,” Agbayani said. “She can hit, she can pitch, she hits home runs. She’s awesome.”

Allyssa Parker. Sooners — Oklahoma pitcher Allyssa Parker (00) pitches during the home opener softball game between Oklahoma and Alabama State at Love’s Field in Norman Okla., on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images