Freshmen power surge proves Oklahoma panic is premature

Although it's been a rare disappointing start to the college softball season, at least by the standards the Oklahoma Sooners have set under Patty Gasso, it's been the worst that fans will see from the 2026 Sooners.

The No. 5 Sooners keep dipping in national rankings at 13-2 after suffering a pair of losses, including a massive upset to Long Beach State last weekend, and dodging a few close calls. However, as the nonconference schedule serves as preparation for an SEC gauntlet ahead and to get newcomers adjusted, it's actually the freshmen who have shined the brightest for the Sooners with only even more improvement ahead as they settle in.

Sooners' underwhelming start overshadowing success of No. 1 2025 recruiting class

OU signed the No. 1 2025 recruiting class in the country to join a dominant roster already full of former top prospect this season. The 2025 group included outfielder Kai Minor, two-way player Allyssa Parker, catcher Kendall Wells, pitcher Berkley Zache and catcher Riley Zache. All being top-5 players nationally from the 2025 class, according to Softball America, Minor, Parker and Wells have already cracked OU's starting lineup, with Wells starting all but one game.

It's not despite those young players that the Sooners are swinging the bat at a historic pace, but because of. Through three weeks of the season, OU leads the country in home runs, total runs and slugging percentage, and is second in batting average and total hits. The Sooners are averaging 3.73 home runs a game, which, if that pace held steady, would shatter the single-season home run record OU set with 159 in 2021.

Every player with an at-bat this season has hit a home run for OU, but it's Wells leading the way with 10 already in 48 at-bats. That number is also tied for the third-most in the country, with Wells being the only freshman in the top 20 of the category. Wells was also just named National Freshman of the Week and National Player of the Week after her performance in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

Fellow freshman Minor also leads the Sooners in batting average with a .561. Parker isn't far behind hitting a .440 and Wells is at .354. Parker also leads OU with a 1.200 slugging percentage.

Parker has also gotten three appearances and two starts in the circle, but has struggled with a 5.44 ERA. Berkley Zache has a 7.87 ERA in three relief appearances. The freshman duo, though, is not only adjusting to throwing against college lineups, but doing so without pitching coach Jennifer Rocha, who's away from the team because of a health matter. Regardless, as pitching is the Sooners' early downfall, Parker and Zache will only improve from here with every inning to bolster OU's pitching staff before SEC play begins.

The sky should never be falling for a top-5 team just three weeks into a season, but even though it sometimes feels like it for OU fans, there's still more reason for optimism than worry in 2026.