Nebraska pitcher Bahl ready and rejuvenated after recovering from torn ACL
Nebraska pitcher Bahl ready and rejuvenated after recovering from torn ACL
Nebraska’s Jordyn Bahl (98) hands a ball back to a fan after signing it during softball fan day at the Hawks Championship Center in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP)
Nebraska’s Jordyn Bahl signs a ball during softball fan day at the Hawks Championship Center in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP)
Oklahoma’s Jordy Bahl pitches against Florida State during the fifth inning of the second game of the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball championship series Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings, File)
Nebraska’s Jordyn Bahl (98) hands a ball back to a fan after signing it during softball fan day at the Hawks Championship Center in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP)
Nebraska’s Jordyn Bahl (98) hands a ball back to a fan after signing it during softball fan day at the Hawks Championship Center in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP)
Nebraska’s Jordyn Bahl signs a ball during softball fan day at the Hawks Championship Center in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP)
Nebraska’s Jordyn Bahl signs a ball during softball fan day at the Hawks Championship Center in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP)
Oklahoma’s Jordy Bahl pitches against Florida State during the fifth inning of the second game of the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball championship series Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings, File)
Oklahoma’s Jordy Bahl pitches against Florida State during the fifth inning of the second game of the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball championship series Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings, File)
Nebraska pitcher Jordyn Bahl sees the torn left ACL she suffered a year ago and the season she lost as blessings.
Bahl’s story last season was supposed to be a fairytale. After being named Most Outstanding Player at the Women’s College World Series for Oklahoma in 2023 and claiming her second national championship, the Papillion, Nebraska, native returned to her home state with the hope of reaching the World Series wearing a different shade of red.
She was injured in her very first game as a Husker. She could only watch as Nebraska worked its way through an injury-plagued 30-23 season.
Bahl, always the optimist, realized as she recovered that the time away from playing was just what she needed.
“I thought originally it was going to be a lot harder than it was,” she said. “I found last year the break I got and the opportunity to view the game from a different lens than I ever had was an incredible blessing. It was refreshing. And I’m definitely ready to go now, all charged up. So it was a great year that was something I really needed.”
The star who threw 24 2/3 scoreless innings at the 2023 World Series is rejuvenated and ready to anchor Nebraska’s staff. She also looks forward to hitting and playing some first base.
“My goal for myself this season is to play this year and remember … the freedom I felt when I was on the sideline, and try to have that same mindset and relief in actually playing,” she said.
Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle said she will be careful with Bahl.
“We’re going to manage her workload because she’s going to be very important to us in the circle,” she said. “When we play these early season tournaments and have multi-game days, we might rest her a game or we might use her as a closer in a game. When we get into conference games, three-game series, it’s kind of all bets are off. We’re going to work her to help us win and she’ll do the same thing.”
Bahl said she’s not worried about being rested because there’s plenty of other pitching talent on the team. She believes Hannah Camenzind, Emmerson Cope, Kylee Magee and Caitlin Olensky are capable options. Camenzind was an All-Southeastern Conference second-team selection at Arkansas in 2023. Magee was on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team at Arizona State in 2023. Olensky led the team last season with a 3.30 ERA. Cope pitched in 21 games last season.
“Our pitching staff is really cool and everybody brings a different specialty to the table,” Bahl said. “I don’t think there’s a team we’re going to play where we don’t have the tools to beat them. That’s not something you can say if you have a one- or two-man staff. We are five deep in our staff, I believe. We’re stronger when we’re all together and everybody brings such a different look.
Bahl didn’t make a prediction or set some lofty goal and said she’s not putting as much pressure on herself as she has in the past. But she has given the World Series some thought, and so have her teammates.
“We’ve all talked about what it takes to get there,” she said. “We know what it takes to get there. We know we have the things to get there. A big part of that is just going to be staying out of our own way and kind of being accountable to ourselves, but also holding each other accountable, of staying 25 strong.”
Nebraska catcher Ava Bredwell likes what she’s seen from Bahl since she arrived and expects the return to go smoothly.
“She wants to work every single day,” Bredwell said. “She shows up and she’s ready to get better. Last fall, it was obviously exciting to look forward to being able to catch her. That didn’t work out last year, so I’m just excited to showcase that connection we’ve built, all our work together, and have that out on the real field.”
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AP Sports Writer Eric Olson contributed to this report.
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