Softball set to host North Texas in final Fall Ball action!

[OUBeliever56A]

In the final fall ball action of the year the Sooner softball team host the Mean Green from North Texas tonight at 7:00 pm at Marita Hynes Field.

The game provides a bit of intrigue due the transfer of Hope Trautwein this fall from NT to the Sooners for her final season of play. It will be interesting to see if Trautwein pitches against her former teammates and how she does against the players that know her best.

The North Texas softballers are 3-0 this fall as they have defeated Southern Nazarene 15-2, Seminole State College 6-3 and Grayson County College 9-3.

North Texas has 5 pitchers on their roster with only 1 of them returning for the Mean Green. LHP Janie Worthington (Carnegie, OK) is a sophomore who had a 9-1 record with a 1.99 ERA as a freshman in 2021. She has pretty good numbers in all areas. The Mean Green has two transfer pitchers that has joined the team. Sophomore Jaycee Cook pitched at UAB in 2021 and finished 2021 with a 3.40 ERA with a 4-2 record. LHP Ashley Peters pitched at Purdue for two years before joining NT and had roughly a 4.00 ERA for her two seasons there. Two freshman complete the pitching staff for North Texas. Skylar Savage and Karsyn Iltus, both RHPs, are both from Texas HS.

Offensively the Mean Green look to have almost all of their primary players returning to the team. From what I see, probably only one starter does not return for North Texas.

The North Texas players are young. There is only one 5th year SR, two SRs and 4 JRs on the roster. The remaining 18 players are sophomores or freshman. Two Moore OK ISD players are on the NT rosters. Mikayla Smith, SOPH INF, is from Southmoore. Kailey Gamble, SOPH INF, is from Westmoore. Two freshman are from area Oklahoma high schools also. Shelby McHughes, OF, is from Goldsby while Ryland Dooner is from Tuttle. Molly Rainey (OF) is a transfer Red-SOPH from UCF is originally from Ada, OK.

I am not expecting to see many things different or new tonight for the Sooners. I expect to see Trautwein, Bahl and McAdoo likely pitch. There was a sighting over a week ago of May on crutches so we will have to wait until the game to see if that is an issue for her. If not, she will likely pitch also. I would like to see Emmy Guthrie pitch but again, we have to wait and see.

I don't think there is much to watch carefully tonight for the Sooners in the field. All the returning starters have played well in the 4 fall game prior to tonight. Boone has played well and looks to have the inside track for replacing Mendes in RF. Elam and Green are what we expect and are capable starters for the Sooners also. Brito has also looked good at the plate offensively but with very few balls being put in play against the Sooners in the fall her infield defense is yet to be tested. Of the five freshman, T Coleman has shown her ability both offensively and defensively in the 4 games. Nugent looks the part also but needs to find her comfort zone at the plate. Coor has looked good, especially on defense. It looks like to me that Quincee Lilio is maybe practicing again and if so, I am anxious to see her play for the Sooners. We have yet to see Waitman play also. Playing tonight will be a help for them if they can play.

It is another SOLD OUT game for fall ball tonight. See you there on what looks like a clear night that may be a little chilly by the final inning.

Oh yeah, the new signs are up at the new Love's Field just south of Marita Hynes. One step closer!

Boomer Sooner!