Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma softball: Sooners add veteran starting pitcher via transfer

By Chip Rouse

A OU visor is pictured surrounded with confetti after OU won the Women's College World Series finals between Oklahoma (OU) and Florida State at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on Thursday, June 8, 2023.
A OU visor is pictured surrounded with confetti after OU won the Women's College World Series finals between Oklahoma (OU) and Florida State at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on Thursday, June 8, 2023. /
facebooktwitterreddit

The reigning, three-time national champion Oklahoma softball team has added to its pitching rotation for the 2023 season, picking up a commitment on Friday from veteran starter Karlie Keeney, a transfer from Liberty.

Keeney, a three-year starter at Liberty, is the second transfer pitcher head coach Patty Gasso and Sooner pitching coach Jennifer Rocha have brought in through the transfer portal since the 2023 season ended to fill the void created through the departure of Jordy Bahl (transferred to Nebraska) and Alex Storako (graduation), herself a former transfer.

The Sooners added Wisconsin transfer pitcher Paytn Monticelli earlier this month.

Oklahoma got a good long look at Keeney very early in the 2023 season. She was the starting pitcher for Liberty in a 1-0 win by the Sooners in the second game of the season. Keeney, who throws from the right side, pitched six scoreless innings against the power-laden OU lineup before giving up the winning run on an error in the seventh inning. Although Keeney took the loss, she allowed allowing just five hits and struck out four in pitching a complete game.

Keeney appeared in 36 games for Liberty this past season with 22 starts. She had a record of 27-12 and 14 complete games, with an ERA of 2.03 in 260 2/3 innings. In addition to holding Oklahoma to one run on five hits, she also pitched the Flames to a 2-1, complete-game win over No. 2 UCLA in the NCAA Los Angeles Regional, eliminating the Bruins on their home field.

In three seasons at Liberty, Keeney was 64-24 with a 2.23 ERA. She has one year of eligibility remaining.

She is the third transfer player to join the Sooners this offseason along with Monticelli and Furman catcher Riley Ludlam. Oklahoma State pitcher Kelley Maxwell and Stanford pitcher Alana Vawter, both of whom Oklahoma faced this past season remain available in the transfer portal. It would not be that surprising to see the Sooners land one of those two before all is said and done.

Home/OU softball