Kai Minor's Maturing Approach Helping Oklahoma's Offense go

The freshman outfielder's confidence continues to grow, even as the schedule has gotten tougher.

Oklahoma associate head coach and hitting coach JT Gasso talks with Kai Minor before an at-bat against Kentucky. | Ryan Chapman / Sooners on SI

NORMAN — Kai Minor doesn’t lack in confidence.

“Just trusting in myself,” Minor said of her state of mind entering the final week of the regular season following Sunday’s 6-5 win over Georgia. “And just, you know, that I’m a better hitter than most of these pitchers.”

Minor has plenty of reasons to be confident.

She’s been one of the best freshmen in college softball this season. Recently being named to the National Fastpitch Association Freshman Year of the Year Top 25 list.

Through the first 50 games of her career, Minor leads all Sooners’ regulars with a .440 batting average, 66 hits and 17 stolen bases, is third on the team with 56 runs, and has five of Oklahoma’s seven triples.

In Sunday’s win that completed a sweep for the top-ranked Sooners, Minor came around to score from second on an Ella Parker single in the second inning, then blasted a two-run home run in the fourth.

Minor said there has been plenty of adjustment from travel ball to college, especially when it comes to scouting reports and preparation.

“The biggest thing I’m learning about myself is just trusting my training,” Minor said. “Just because it’s really hard to, you know, when you come from travel ball, you don’t know what you’re going to get when you’re going into each game. And then the preparation that it takes going into these games, it’s like, you know exactly what is going to happen, and just seeing how people pitch to me and change their plan. … I really like how it’s tailored to each person, and how you just get a different thing.”

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Throughout the season, Minor has learned to have a singular focus — when it comes to her progress individually and when it comes to the Sooners’ progress as a team.

“Not relying on what other people are doing and just honing in on what we’re doing and just, again, staying together as a team is the best thing,” Minor said. 

Minor also continues to get more comfortable with her place on the team.

“She came in here very quiet, very, very reserved,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said recently. “Now, she has found herself here. (She’s) very comfortable, jokes around with me, jokes around with the team.”

As the postseason nears, Minor figures to continue to be a major piece at the top of the Sooners’ order and as a plus defender in center field.