This was how it was supposed to go.
Since Day 1, when Oklahoma scored 29 runs against UTEP on opening day of the 2021 season, the Sooners have been the title favorites.
A historic offense, one that set records for home runs and runs scored in a single season, blasted its way to more run-rule wins than they had conference victories – and they only lost one game in Big 12 play. Couple that offense with a more-than-capable pitching staff and you have a dynamite championship team.
Jocelyn Alo now stands just a few home runs away from breaking Lauren Chamberlain’s all-time record. One of the most incredible hitters of our lifetime, Alo is in position to easily top triple-digits in home runs before her career ends.
One of the highlights of OU’s season was their ability to adjust mid-game and, sometimes, mid at-bat.
Even when they were down late or perhaps had failed to score the first time through the lineup, the adjustments that were made before the second time through often proved to be game-changing.
The Sooners lost just twice during the regular season – once to Georgia in Athens, once to Oklahoma State in Stillwater. In both instances, the Sooners responded by beating the same team in the next game, and did so in impressive fashion.
Look no further than Oklahoma’s freshman class to see how talented and well-adjusted this Sooner team was.
Pitcher Nicole May was the staff ace in the circle for a period of time this year. Tiare Jennings found a home in the leadoff spot and became as great of a power threat as Alo herself. Jayda Coleman became one of the sport’s most polarizing stars and embraced the role.
In the Women’s College World Series, the Sooners lost their opening game to James Madison and proceeded to win four straight elimination games to get to the WCWS Championship Series.
That streak included two wins over the same JMU team, continuing their season-long streak of never losing to the same team twice.
Giselle “G” Juarez pitched her best softball, possibly ever, in her final week as a collegiate softball player. Juarez went 5-0 in the WCWS, with every win coming in an elimination game.
Crowned the Most Outstanding Player of the WCWS, Juarez averaged more than a strikeout per inning in the championship tournament and allowed just four runs.
This year was tough at times in college softball.
For a while, we weren’t sure that this season was even going to happen and, if it did, what it was going to look like. Even once the season began, there were some weekends when more than a dozen teams had to cancel full series’ and games because of COVID-related reasonings.
An unexpected ice storm in February cancelled some of the top games scheduled for opening week of the season. Bad weather wreaked its traditional havoc all throughout the year.
But we made it through, and it’s a season that we’ll not soon forget.
— Justin McLeod, Extra Inning Softball Correspondent & Publisher of Justin’s World of Softball
