It was an amazing yr for Oklahoma Sooners softball as they full their quest for back-to-back nationwide championships, sweeping Texas within the championship sequence. It’s their sixth nationwide championship in program historical past. It was a record-setting season that had the nation marveling on the offensive output and the pitching carried its weight all through 2022 as effectively.
With the season now over, the Sooners say goodbye to a number of tremendous seniors, most notably the NCAA’s all-time house run queen, Jocelyn Alo. However that doesn’t imply they’re slowing down by any stretch of the creativeness.
Whereas Jocelyn Alo deserves all the popularity for what she’s carried out on the plate, the lady hitting proper behind her is a dominant offensive pressure in her personal proper; Tiare Jennings.
Jennings, who simply accomplished her sophomore season hit 29 house runs and drove in 87 RBIs. This a yr after hitting 27 house runs with 92 RBIs as a freshman. Sure, that’s 56 house runs and 179 RBIs in two seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners. Whereas her “Bash Sister” has wolfed up the nationwide participant of the yr awards, Tiare Jennings was a worthwhile choice in her personal proper.
In response to Beth Mowins, who took half in ESPN’s school softball roundtable to conclude the 2022 season, Tiare Jennings is the frontrunner for collegiate participant of the yr in 2023, saying, “I’m going to go approach out on a limb and say that Tiare Jennings has put herself because the front-runner for nationwide participant of the yr.”
Mowins was being a bit facetious, however her daring prediction definitely isn’t that daring. Jennings, the 2021 nationwide freshman of the yr, and a two-time first-team All-American has an opportunity to be the most effective hitter in softball over the subsequent couple of years with Alo now enjoying professionally.
She completed the 2022 season first in RBIs (once more), and third in house runs. Whereas her batting common was decrease than the .462 she hit as a freshman, she nonetheless hit an unbelievable .401 and went on a tear within the NCAA event.
Within the postseason, Jennings hit .486 with seven house runs and 19 RBIs. She additionally added 4 doubles and 14 runs scored to win her second nationwide championship in as a few years with the Oklahoma Sooners.
With 56 house runs in two years, she has an excellent likelihood to cross former Sooners nice Lauren Chamberlain for No. 2 all-time throughout her senior season. Jennings might additionally find yourself because the second participant in NCAA historical past to surpass the 100 house run mark.
She’s off to an unbelievable begin to her Sooners profession and he or she’s simply getting began. Whereas there are considerations about who’s hitting behind her to offer the safety that she offered Jocelyn Alo, Jennings has confirmed that she’s the most effective gamers in school softball and can solely get higher.
Tiare Jennings Picture Gallery
Jana Johns, Reagan Wright, Tiare Jennings
Oklahoma’s Jana Johns, proper, scores the profitable run behind Oklahoma State catcher Reagan Wright, left, as…
Oklahoma’s Jana Johns, proper, scores the profitable run behind Oklahoma State catcher Reagan Wright, left, as teammate Tiare Jennings (23) celebrates within the sixth inning of the NCAA school Large 12 Championship softball recreation Saturday, Could 15, 2021, in Oklahoma Metropolis. (AP Picture/Sue Ogrocki)