UPDATE (4:04 p.m. CT): Bahl announced on her X account that she will be out for the rest of the season. It's a crushing blow to Nebraska and all of college softball.
"In game 1 of opening weekend, in Puerto Vallarta, I experienced an injury to my acl that is going to cause me to support the Red Team in a different way than anticipated for the 2024 season," Bahl wrote.
"With a heart thankful for God's plan and timing, I will be red shirting this year and look forward to a season of growth and learning from a different point of view. I'm thankful for the support of my family, friends, coaches, and staff. I'm truly blessed to have so many wonderful and loving people in my life."
"I'm not going anywhere See you in 2025. GO BIG RED."
His will > my will.
His plan > my plan.
He > I.Happy little shotgun rider when He is behind the wheel.??
Go big red.?? pic.twitter.com/4y06KVM5f0
— Jordyn Bahl (@jordybahl) February 13, 2024
Only one weekend into the 2024 NCAA college softball season, the nation's best player is already at risk of missing time due to injury.
During the Nebraska softball team's season debut against Washington on Thursday, pitcher Jordy Bahl — who was the Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player last season before transferring from Oklahoma — left her first outing for the Cornhuskers after just 2.1 innings due to what was initially believed to be an ankle injury.
Bahl started her debut outing strong, striking out the first batter she faced. Yet, after the next hitter also struck out, Bahl then walked two Washington players before emerging from the first inning unscathed.
Jordy Bahl?s first strikeout in a ???????? uniform.@HuskerSoftball | @PVCollegeSB | @TCSFastpitch | @jordybahl | #PVCC pic.twitter.com/YzAT0MRQxP
— FloSoftball (@FloSoftball) February 9, 2024
Then the two-time First-team All-American hit Washington's first batter of the second inning, walked the second hitter, then gave up a single to let Washington score the game's first run.
In the third, Bahl — an elite hitter who was walked and hit by a pitch in her two at-bats — struggled some more, giving up two more runs before suffering the awkward-looking injury while throwing a pitch and being taken out of the game.
Washington ultimately scored five runs in the third inning alone and ended up winning the game 8-0 after five innings. Of course, the loss — and Bahl's uncharacteristically wild performance — isn't Nebraska's biggest concern. They're more worried about their star player's injury.
While Bahl's injury was initially thought to be her ankle, Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle told Husker Online's Abby Barmore that the injury was actually to Bahl's left knee, which is her plant knee.
Revelle also noted that the team is being "conservative" with Bahl. Yet, fans were delighted to see Bahl in uniform and fielding ground balls prior to Nebraska's game against Duke on Friday.
There haven't been any updates on Bahl's injury since the weekend. What's for certain is that Nebraska's success this season hinges on Bahl being able to play and produce at the All-American level we've become accustomed to across her career.
Let's hope we see Bahl back on the mound (and the batter's box) sooner rather than later.
