Softball On SI

Softball On SI's Biggest Storylines, Controversies of 2025

Looking back on some of the biggest stories from the 2025 season.
Maren Angus-Coombs|
Oklahoma softball head coach Patty Gasso called out fans for leaving early during the Women's College World Series in 2025.
Oklahoma softball head coach Patty Gasso called out fans for leaving early during the Women's College World Series in 2025. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When Softball On SI launched in April 2025, it was a little late to the college softball party but was able to gain momentum quickly.

After covering the latter part of the college softball season, Softball On SI jumped into covering the Little League World Series, the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League season and important topics of discussion across the sport.

Here are the top stories, according to page views, from 2025.

Arkansas Softball Coach Addresses Controversial Call in Win Over LSU

The Arkansas Razorbacks foudn themselves in the middle of a few controversial calls during the 2025 season but a game againt LSU really stood out and it wasn't because of a play.

It was a foot race between coaches.

In the middle of a sixth-inning rally for the Tigers, Arkansas assistant coach Matt Meuchel and LSU head coach Beth Torina sprinted toward the home plate umpire Cameron Ellison.

LSU's Maci Bergeron was up 1-0 in the count when Meuchel realized Torina had not re-entered her catcher after substituting for her earlier in the game.

“He called timeout first, and then he beat her there,” Deifel told Whole Hog Sports after the game. “We decided to roll the dice and see if they’d catch it before she hit. Once they throw a pitch, you can go in and question the reentry.

“Ultimately, I don't know if it comes down to who calls timeout first, or who gets there first, or both, but Matt did both. It was huge. I mean, we absolutely needed that out in that moment. It was huge.”

Arkansas ended up rallying and won 12-9.

Tennessee Softball's Karlyn Pickens Sets NCAA Record With Fastest Pitch in Softball History-Again

Tennessee Lady Vols pitcher Karlyn Pickens set the NCAA Record for the fastest recorded pitch in history, throwing 79.4 mph.

Pickens broke her own record of 78.2.

Nebraska Softball's Jordy Bahl Fouls Off 79.4 MPH Pitch – A Reaction Time Feat That Defies Logic

Rather than Karlyn Pickens blowing a nearly 80 mph pitch past Nebraska's Jordy Frahm, formerly Jordy Bahl, it was fouled off.

This story dove into just how impressive a foul ball was in that instance.

An 80 mph pitch is 117.33 ft/s, which gives the batter standing 40 feet from the release point about .341 of a second to react.

OU Softball Head Coach Patty Gasso Sends Strong Message to Fans After Early Exits at WCWS

Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso wasn't happy when she saw fans head for the exits early before the Sooners walked off Tennessee at the Women's College World Series.

"I was watching people leave the game, and it was in the seventh," Gasso said. "And I shared that with the team, not that that had anything to do with anything, but people thought we were done."

Must See Softball Player Bunts for Home Run in Wild Play

In a moment that has gone viral, Camery Jourden of Sundown High School in Texas has seen her Little League home run posted multiple times on every social media platform.

Jourden laid down a bunt just looking to advance the runners and give her team insurance, but a wild throw and some insane speed allowed her to make it all the way around and score.

OU Softball National Champion Announces Retirement

Former Oklahoma pitcher and National Champion, Alex Storako, announced her retirement from the sport in 2025.

“After years of chasing dreams and giving this game every piece of my heart and soul, I am so sad to announce that I am medically retiring,” Storako stated in the post. “The sport has given me everything and more, from the unforgettable moments at Michigan to winning a national championship at Oklahoma, and competing at the highest level professionally with the Oklahoma City Spark.” 

Criticism Mounts Over Repetitive NCAA Softball Regional Assignments

It was the surrender cobra seen around the softball world on Sunday evening when the bracket was unveiled live on ESPN2, and the Boston University Terriers saw they were heading back to Norman, again.

BU head coach Ashley Waters voiced her opinion on social media which led to a discovery of patterns the NCAA Selection Committee has formed over the past several years.

In addition to the storylines above, several controversies rocked the softball world in 2025. From Little League eligibility issues to social media trends, here are the top scandals from the year.

Eligibility Allegations Surface For Semifinalist After Little League Softball World Series

Parents are questioning the eligibility of a Little League Softball World Series semifinalist, according to a recent report from Lauren Henry of KTUL in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The team is question from Tulsa, finished in third place at the 2025 Little League World Series.

How an NIL Loophole is Transforming Texas Tech Into a Softball Powerhouse

Texas Tech softball is coming off a national runner-up finish and has been thrust into the spotlight with a multi-millionaire pitcher in NiJaree Canady.

However, all the attention garnered during the Red Raiders' historic postseason run has turned college softball upside down with the announcements of several transfers, including Kaitlyn Terry, Jasmyn Burns, Mia Williams, and Jackie Lis.

Softball On SI spoke with six Division I programs about what is happening in Lubbock, and while it is completely legal, it raises concerns about morals and ethics.

Scandal at CSUB Leaves Softball Team in Shambles, Felony Charges for Basketball Coach, and Athletic Director Ousted

The fallout from the stunning arrest of Cal State Bakersfield assistant men’s basketball coach Kevin Mays in October reached the school’s softball program, where a head coach, currently on paid leave, and her husband, a former assistant, believe they were made scapegoats as a cover-up for Mays’ wrongdoing, including an alleged relationship with a former softball player, Violet Salazar. 

The latest development in the investigation involved the former Athletic Director filing a whistleblower lawsuit against the university.

TikTok Trend Exposes Ugly Side of College Softball

College softball players from across the country have jumped on a TikTok trend in 2025 that exposes the ugly side of the sport.

In videos with the caption, "You're so funny," current and former student-athletes have trauma dumped about their negative experiences with certain programs and coaches.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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