‘The future is very bright’: Why Ella Parker, Kasidi Pickering will be the staple of the OU softball rebuild.
Going into the 2024 season, freshmen Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering didn’t have much expectations from those around them.
OU had 10 seniors on the roster, five of whom had already won three national championships and a few others who had won two. So, it was expected that the veteran group would carry much of the load en route to a fourth consecutive national championship.
But the two freshmen burst onto the scene early with their outstanding plays and timely hitting. And by the end of the year, it was clear OU wouldn’t win the title, without the help of the young pair.
Parker and Pickering are the first OU freshmen duo to both produce double-digit home runs and 50+ RBIs in their debut season.
Now that the season has ended, the two are undoubtedly the staples of OU’s lineup as it gears up to fill a plethora of holes in its lineup–especially after the departure of expected starting 2nd baseman Avery Hodge and others.
“I’m ready to start coaching again because I don’t have to coach this,” Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso said with a smile after winning the program’s eighth national championship with 10 seniors. “They know it. They’ve got it.
They coach each other. I’m really excited about what’s coming. I love what has happened with our freshmen. Oh, my goodness. I did not anticipate that. So the future is very, very bright.
Gasso’s amazement comes after the way the two shined in big moments down the stretch.
The two made very impactful plays during the Women’s College World Series when OU’s backs were against the wall. For example, Parker hit the game-tying RBI against Florida, which allowed Jayda Coleman to hit a walk-off home run against Florida, and Pickering hit two home runs in the Championship Series.
Yes, the two were expected to have high expectations for their careers. Gasso pointed out earlier in the season that she expects Pickering to eventually be the captain of the team in a few years and Parker to be the leadoff.
But what she got out of them in year one was something that hadn’t been done before at OU.
