In the span of one weekend at the PGF Ultimate Challenge, Jaylee Ojo turned heads with her bat; her baserunning; and her pitching arm. The true utility player helped lead the LTG Lions-Henderson squad to the tournament title, catching the eye of college coaches in attendance along the way.
At the plate, she knocked a pair of home runs, including one that hit a tall wall several yards beyond the outfield fence. In the circle, she made three appearances, including pitching her team to a win in the tournament championship game.
On the basepaths, she had perhaps the most exciting play of the weekend, stealing home on a bases-loaded walk.
“I’ve never actually executed [a steal of home] like that,” Ojo said with a laugh. “Never in a situation like that. I was a little nervous, but I had a job to do, so I was just like ‘I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna execute’ and I touched third and took off.”
Playing on both sides of the ball sometimes might seem like a dying art; in years past, pitchers who also picked up the bat were regular occurrences, but they have become a rarer sight in some more recent times. Then there are athletes like Ojo, who not only plays on both sides but feels like that true-utility status benefits her skill development on all fronts.
“When I’m hitting, it’s like ten times easier just because I’m thinking from a pitcher’s standpoint,” Ojo said. “I’m able to read the ball easier because, since I throw the pitches, I’m able to see how other people are doing them and pick it up. And then when I’m pitching, I can think from a hitter’s standpoint, ‘what if I had this count? What would I be doing or thinking?’ It’s beneficial doing both and by doing both, it makes it easier for sure.”
When she steps on the field, Ojo thrives under pressure and in situations where a lot is on the line. Not only does she excel in those moments, she enjoys them.
“I like to always play with some pressure; I feel like I perform better under pressure,” Ojo noted. “I have a great team behind me with great defense and solid hitting. No matter what, every game, I step into it feeling the right amount of pressure on my shoulders.”
Graduating in the Class of 2023, Ojo was uncommitted during her impressive weekend, but that status changed just a few days later. On Thursday morning, she announced her commitment to Iowa.
Prior to her commitment, speaking to Extra Inning Softball after the PGF Ultimate Challenge, Ojo described what qualities she was looking for during the recruitment process as she sought after her future collegiate home:
“The coaching staff is definitely a big part,” Ojo said. “My relationship with the pitching coach, just because that’s who I’m going to be working under and with a lot of times. As well, a family environment; that’s a really big thing for me just because I want to have people around me that are like that. Education, as well, of course, and people who are ready to compete and want to go far, to win.”
