Bahl Named Freshman of the Year Top 25 Finalist

NORMAN — Oklahoma softball freshman Jordy Bahl has been named one of 25 finalists for the 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award, the NFCA announced the list Thursday.

Bahl is the ninth Sooner to make the top 25 cut since the inaugural season of the award in 2014. Oklahoma has had at least one finalist represented every year since 2015, with a Sooner winning the award three times in its eight-year history: Paige Parker (2015), Jocelyn Alo (2018) and Tiare Jennings (2021). Last season OU had two of the final three finalists for the award in eventual-winner Tiare Jennings and classmate Jayda Coleman.

Additionally, Oklahoma looks to become the first program to produce consecutive winners of the award.

The freshman phenom has taken college softball by storm in her first-year campaign with the Sooners.

In 114.2 innings pitched, Bahl has a 0.98 ERA with 181 strikeouts to 25 walks. Her earned run average ranks eighth in the country while her strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.24) ranks 14th. She has allowed just 16 earned runs on the season (21 runs total) and is allowing opponents to bat just .138. Bahl has surrendered just 14 extra-base hits, with only three being home runs.

The Papillion, Neb., product has one individual perfect game and one solo no-hitter on the year, along with combining on one perfect game and two no-hitters. Additionally, Bahl has six double-digit strikeout performances, including a career-high 16 vs. Tennessee on Feb. 26 and a 15-K game at Texas (4/14).

The list will be trimmed down to the top 10 on May 12 and the three finalists will be released on May 26. The 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year will be announced on May 31. The list of 25 was selected by the NFCA. The top 10, top three and winner are voted on by the NFCA Division I All-America Committee.

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