OU softball: Jordy Bahl dealing with arm soreness, unlikely to pitch in Big 12 Tournament
NORMAN — Jordy Bahl has been OU’s ace all season.
But in the Big 12 softball tournament at least, the Sooners will be relying on Hope Trautwein and Nicole May.
Sooners coach Patty Gasso said after Friday’s 5-0 win over Iowa State in a Big 12 semifinal that Bahl, the freshman phenom, was dealing with some soreness.
“We don’t want to mess with that,” Gasso said. “That’s important for us. So we can do this or should be able to do this with our other pitchers, and they need to feel that.”
Bahl is 21-1 with a 0.95 ERA in 132 ⅓ innings this season.
'She’s a tough young lady': How many times has Jana Johns been hit by a pitch during her OU softball career?
Gasso said recently that she was concerned about Trautwein and May getting enough work to be prepared for the postseason.
Trautwein had thrown 81 innings and May 65 heading into the tournament.
“They need this tournament, they need to feel this tournament,” Gasso said. “So why would I put Jordy, who’s had more innings than anyone else, (out there) if she’s feeling a little bit of tightness in her arm? So that’s really where we stand right now.”
It certainly wasn’t an issue Friday, as Trautwein went the distance, striking out a season-high 14 and allowing just two hits and walking one to improve to 16-0.
Bahl was in the dugout for Friday’s game and was seen clapping and raising her arms after Lynnsie Elam’s first-inning grand slam.
Carlson: OU softball isn't here to start no trouble. Jocelyn Alo & Co. are here for Sooner Shuffle.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball: Jordy Bahl unlikely to pitch in Big 12 Tournament