Oklahoma softball: Another transfer pitcher headed to OU
By Chip Rouse
Two years ago, southpaw pitcher Paige Lowary joined the Oklahoma softball team as a transfer from Missouri. That worked out exceptionally well, for both parties.
The Sooners announced on Thursday that Shannon Saile is transferring to Oklahoma after two seasons as a starting pitcher at Florida International University.
The announcement comes almost a week after Melyssa Lombardi announced she is leaving the Sooner coaching staff after 21 seasons to become the head coach at the University of Oregon. Lombardi, who had served as associate head coach at OU since 2008, coached the Sooner pitchers and catchers.
Saile, a right-handed pitcher, was 17-11 this past season for Florida International with an impressive earned run average of 1.93 in 181 innings. She struck out 267 batters. In two seasons at FI, she compiled an overall record of 36-22 with a combined ERA of 1.72.
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A native Floridian from Land O’Lakes, Florida, Sale was an All-Conference USA First-Team selection in both 2018 and 2017 and was the conference’s Freshman of the Year in 2017.
"“I chose Oklahoma because I want to grow mentally, physically and spiritually, and the amount of powerful women in softball that have come from this program speaks for itself,” Saile said in a statement issued by the OU athletic department."
Lowary started her collegiate career at Missouri. She transferred to OU after her sophomore season at Mizzou and played her final two seasons for the Sooners. After two outstanding seasons (combined 26-5 with a 1.31 ERA) playing for Patty Gasso at Oklahoma, Lowary became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 National Pro Fastpitch Draft.
It is a reasonable bet that Lowary’s success after transferring to OU. as well as the elite nature of Sooner softball during the past decade played a big part in Saile’s decision to leave Florida for the Oklahoma plains.
Saile is the sixth newcomer to join the Oklahoma softball roster for 2019. She will join highly touted freshman Brooke Vestal as newcomers on the Sooner pitching staff.