Oklahoma's Jordyn Bahl Primed to Take the Nation by Storm
Last year, Oklahoma unleashed a deadly freshman trio on college softball.
Tiare Jennings, Jayda Coleman and Nicole May all played a key role in bringing OU’s fifth National Championship back to Norman.
And in 2022, Patty Gasso appears poised to drop another incredibly talented freshman into the fold.
Jordyn Bahl, known affectionately as Jordy to her teammates, was the No. 1-rated recruit in the 2021 recruiting class, and she wasted no time turning within the program, Gasso’s included.
“I think the nation will really get to know Jordy Bahl,” Gasso said during her preseason Zoom press conference on Thursday. “That name will be a name that they're familiar with. And you'll really enjoy her style. She's very competitive, and it's really very engaging. It's like you can get lost in watching her pitch at times.”
Sooner fans got their first look at Bahl’s style and intensity during OU’s fall ball exhibition games.
Jordyn Bahl
Pool photo used with permission from OU Athletics
Over the course of five appearances, the true freshman pitched 16 and 2/3 innings, striking out an astonishing 41 batters while allowing three runs on seven hits, posting an ERA of 1.62.
Rocking back and forth in the circle, Bahl brought a certain level of intimidation to the circle to pair with her hard-throwing arsenal of pitches.
“She has a style about her that instantly a female would say, oh gosh, she's got a cocky — look how cocky she is,” Gasso said. “You have to use to what she's doing because you don't understand — she kind of walks, it's almost like a lion walking around the circle. And she kind of takes her time, she dangles her arm. It's very habit formed by her.
“… Then when I see it in person, I get it. I know what she's doing. It's very focused.”
Gasso isn’t the only member of the program ready to see Bahl burst onto the scene in 2022.
“Jordy Bahl, you guys, United States of America, get ready cuz she is legit,” Jocelyn Alo, the 2021 USA Softball Player of the Year, said during her Zoom press conference on Thursday. “She's one of the best pitches I've ever seen. I would say and I've seen quite a few pitchers in my day, and even on the Olympic level, too.
“… But yeah, she's one of the best. And I think she's going to be an asset to the Oklahoma Sooners. And hopefully one day USA. That's how good I think she is and that's the potential I think that she has.”
The intensity Bahl radiates in the circle comes as no shock once you start to get to know the talented pitcher and her family, Gasso said.
“She comes from a family of competitors,” Gasso said. When she came here on her recruiting trip our team was kind of, you know, socializing and so forth. And she's playing one-on-one basketball against her brother. And everybody's just kind of having fun, but in the corner of my eye, I'm watching what she's doing.
“And I saw a competitor. Like, ‘I’m gonna beat my brother,.’ It was intense just watching this one-on-one, so-called fun game. It was intense. And then I knew, wow, this girl's a competitor.”
Jordyn Bahl
Pool photo used with permission from OU Athletics
Not only will Bahl pitch for the Sooners, but she’ll also step into the batter’s box and help contribute offensively this season as well.
Throughout the exhibition games this fall, Bahl recorded three RBIs, including a line-drive home run, through her 12 plate appearances.
Gasso said her skills don’t stop there, as she’s come in and immediately set the tone for the team in workouts as well.
“She is very strong,” Gasso said. “I’ve not had a freshmen come in so strong and fit as Jordy. And she leads the team in a lot of categories in running sprinting, lifting. Quite an incredible athlete.
“… I am just very excited to see her start her collegiate career because I think she's going to be very special.”
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