On Wednesday, the three-time defending national champion University of Oklahoma women's softball team announced the signing of another all-state, nationally-ranked pitcher for their 2024 recruiting class; adding to the narrative that they may never lose another game.
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The signee is Audrey Lowry, a left-handed pitcher from Tri-West High School in Lizton, Indiana. Lowry — the #2 overall ranked player in her 2024 recruiting class — is a two time all-state honoree, and is coming off a season where she recorded a 0.95 ERA with 252 strikeouts in 148.0 innings. While Lowry will likely be a pitcher-only when she arrives at Oklahoma, she also hit .434 with nine doubles, one home run, and 21 RBIs last season.
𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 ✍️ @audreylowry42
🏆 Two-time all-state honoree
🔥 Recorded a 𝟎.𝟗𝟓 ERA with 𝟐𝟓𝟐 K’s in 148.0 innings last spring
👑 Career strikeout leader at Tri-West𝘿𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙩 left-handed pitcher Audrey Lowry joins our 2024 signing class from Tri-West… pic.twitter.com/u0XfSjdF9B
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) November 8, 2023
Lowry has an elite arsenal of pitches at her disposal. In addition to a high-velocity fastball, Lowry also throws an assortment of breaking balls (including a drop ball, change-up, and curveball) — along with what Lowry calls a "chise," a change-rise combo she came up with herself. As if Oklahoma needs to invent new pitches in order to succeed.
McKenna Hagemier, Lowry's former high school catcher, told IndyStar about her star pitcher's skillset. "Her rise ball is amazing and her changeup gets batters almost every time. I know it would get me if I was going against her. She's able to move (her changeup) up and down very well and she's getting a lot better at working it in-and-out with her curveball and everything. She's getting there to hit all the spots."
Lowry will be joining an Oklahoma roster that, in addition to winning the last three NCAA national championships, is currently on a 53-game win streak — which is an NCAA record.
In fact, Lowry is one of eight recent Oklahoma commits that are part of a historic class, all of whom are set to start their college careers in 2025.
Sooners' head coach Patty Gasso believes all eight can make an immediate impact. "Each of these freshmen are capable of vying for starting spots next season with the size of our departing senior class and we are so excited to get them on campus next fall."
Despite what Gasso says, it will likely be tough for Lowry and the other 2025 recruits to find playing time as freshmen, considering the plethora of top-tier players that Oklahoma already boasts. Regardless of whether this recruiting class finds the field as freshmen, their inclusion on Gasso's roster proves that Oklahoma still the team to beat in NCAA softball.
Not that any team can beat them.
