NORMAN —The rich keep getting richer.
Coach Patty Gasso and the OU softball program brings back much of the team that helped the Sooners win their second consecutive national championship in 2022, with just five players exhausting their eligibility.
The players they lost were big ones —NCAA all-time home run queen Jocelyn Alo at the top of the list, plus catcher Lynnsie Elam, infielder Jana Johns, utility player Taylon Snow and pitcher Hope Trautwein, but reloading doesn’t figure to be much of an issue.
First, the Sooners signed a small but impressive high school class of four that includes left-handed pitcher Kierston Deal, a North Carolina product who is the top overall player in the class according to Extra Inning Softball.
The site also ranks signee Jocelyn Erickson of Phoenix as the No. 10 player —and No. 4 catcher —in the class, Avery Hodge of Richmond, Texas, as the No. 6 player overall, and SJ Geurin of Leander, Texas, as the No. 7 pitcher in the class (No. 20 player overall).
Then the Sooners brought in several of the best players available in the transfer portal —Texas A&M catcher/infielder Haley Lee, Michigan pitcher Alex Storako, and Arizona State infielders Cydney Sanders and Alynah Torres.
Lee was one of the top home-run hitters in college softball the last two seasons, combining for 40. Sanders and Torres combined for 37 home runs and 103 RBIs last season while Storako was a unanimous choice for Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors.
Here’s a look at the Sooners’ roster movement in the offseason, with a look at home the new transfers might fit into the lineup:
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Who’s in via transfer portal
Haley Lee, catcher/infielder (Texas A&M)
The two-time All-American made 189 starts for the Aggies over the last four seasons, hitting .365 with 47 home runs, 36 doubles and 130 RBIs. She led Texas A&M in batting average (.405), home runs (15), and RBIs (45) in 2022. In 2021, she set program records in home runs (25) and slugging percentage (.955). Only OU’s Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings hit more home runs than Lee that season. Lee figures to split time with Kinzie Hansen behind the plate, and should see action at first base as well.
Cydney Sanders, infielder (Arizona State)
Sanders was an NFCA first-team All-American as a freshman for the Sun Devils in 2022, leading the team in home runs (21), RBIs (63), slugging percentage (.952), walks (45) and total bases (139). Her 21 home runs broke a program single-season record and ranked 12th nationally. Her slugging percentage ranked third, on-base percentage fifth and .425 batting average ranked in the top 25 nationally. Sanders was a top-three finalist for NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year honors. Sanders was primarily a first baseman at Arizona State, posting a .984 fielding percentage, and figures to be OU’s primary first baseman in 2023.
Alex Storako, pitcher (Michigan)
Storako was an NFCA All-American and unanimous Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in 2021, when she was 25-8 with a 1.71 ERA and 300 strikeouts. In 2021, she set a Michigan single-game record with 22 strikeouts in a victory over Michigan State and led the nation with 12.9 strikeouts per seven innings. During his Michigan career, the Frankfort, Illinois, product had a 1.71 ERA with 69 wins and 901 strikeouts in 563 innings. With Hope Trautwein having graduated, Storako figures to step in to Trautwein’s place alongside Jordy Bahl and Nicole May in the Sooners’ rotation.
Alynah Torres, infielder (Arizona State)
Torres was an All-Pac 12 pick as a junior last season when she hit .339 with 16 home runs, 14 doubles and 40 RBIs. During her three seasons with the Sun Devils, the Glendale, Arizona, product made 131 starts, hitting .326 with 37 home runs and 105 RBIs. Though Torres was primarily a shortstop at Arizona State, it’s hard to see her grabbing much playing time from Grace Lyons there for the Sooners. So expect Torres to mostly play third base for OU next season.
More:Former OU softball star Jocelyn Alo named 2021-22 Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year
Who’s in via high school signing
➤ Kierston Deal, pitcher, Winston Salem, N.C.
➤ Jocelyn Erickson, utility, Phoenix, Ariz.
➤ SJ Geurin, pitcher, Leander, Texas
➤ Avery Hodge, infielder, Richmond, Texas
More:OU baseball looks to build off College World Series run with a new-look roster in 2023
Who’s out via transfer portal
Turiya Coleman, utility (Houston)
Coleman was the No. 5 player in the 2021 class by Extra Inning Softball and No. 17 by Softball America. She played in 22 games off the bench as a freshman, hitting .231 with a home run.
Mackenzie Donihoo, outfielder (Tennessee)
Donihoo was one of the key figures in the Sooners’ 2021 WCWS title run, hitting .476 with a WCWS-best 10 RBIs, hitting three home runs and a double. But Donihoo’s playing time dwindled early in the 2022 season, and she left the team in mid-April after the Texas Tech series. She hit .250 with a home run and 14 RBIs in 31 games —18 starts —in 2022.
Tramel:Patty Gasso talking big after OU softball cleans up in the transfer portal
Who’s out via graduation
➤ Jocelyn Alo, utility
➤ Lynnsie Elam, catcher
➤ Jana Johns, infielder
➤ Taylon Snow, utility
➤ Hope Trautwein, pitcher
