Oklahoma softball: Sooners sweep Big 12 weekly awards

Led by a star-studded lineup of offensive firepower and a pitching staff that may be even better than last year’s outstanding staff, the top-ranked Oklahoma softball team swept through five games last weekend scoring 41 runs while allowing just one run.

In recognition of the Sooners’ 5-0 start to the 2022 season, which included four shutouts and a perfect game, Oklahoma swept the Big 12 weekly awards.

Sophomore second baseman Tiare Jennings is the Big 12 Player of the Week, and freshman Jordy Bahl is the Pitcher of the Week. In addition, Bahl has been named the National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Player of the Week.

Jennings crushed a home run in her first at-bat leading off the Sooners’ season opener at UC Santa Barbara and added three more before the weekend was over. She hit .357 in the five games with seven RBI, nine runs scored and five walks. The California native finished the weekend with a .526 on-base percentage along with a 1.124 slugging percentage.

Bahl, who was the No. 1 recruit in the 2021 class nationally, picked up a pair of wins and a save in her first three collegiate games. In three appearances over 12.2 innings pitched, she allowed no earned runs on only five hits, struck out 24 hitters and walked just three.

Bahl was the winning pitcher in a 4-1 complete-game victory over No. 3 UCLA. She combined with teammates Nicole May and Hope Trautwein in a 14-0 perfect game against the Gauchos of UC Santa Barbara.

For Jennings, this was the fifth time she has received a Big 12 weekly honor. She was recognized four times as a freshman last season.