Christmas is finally here, at least for softball fans.
Opening day of the 2025 college softball season kicked off Thursday with multiple ranked matchups and exciting series. Here are some of the biggest moments and games of the opening day’s slate.
Oklahoma outlasts SDSU in extra-inning battle
No. 3 Oklahoma capped off a doubleheader sweep in thrilling fashion Thursday night, outlasting San Diego State 11-6 in a nine-inning battle at SDSU Softball Stadium.
The Sooners (2-0) trailed 3-1 entering the fifth, but a three-run homer from Kasidi Pickering put them ahead before SDSU (0-1) clawed back to force extra innings. In the ninth, North Carolina transfer Isabela Emerling delivered the decisive blow — a grand slam to left — before Ailana Agbayani’s inside-the-park dash sealed the game.
BELA BOMB!
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball)
SOONERS LEAD 10-6!
OU’s offense erupted late, but its bullpen proved just as vital. Freshman Audrey Lowry took over in the sixth and held the Aztecs hitless over 3.1 innings, striking out five to earn the win. Starter Sam Landry struck out 11 over 5.2 innings but allowed five runs.
The Aztecs jumped ahead early in the second behind a three-run pinch-hit homer from Shannon Cunningham. OU chipped away, with Ella Parker driving in two runs before Pickering’s go-ahead blast in the fifth. SDSU’s Grace Uribe answered with a two-run single to tie it at 5-5.
With international tiebreaker rules in effect, Oklahoma briefly reclaimed the lead in the eighth on a squeeze bunt from Hannah Coor. But SDSU evened it again before Emerling’s grand slam in the ninth put the game away.
Earlier in the day, OU opened its season with a 7-2 win over CSUN, fueled by Parker and Pickering’s combined five RBIs and a dominant relief outing from Isabella Smith.
The Sooners continue their California road trip against Cal Baptist and Cal State Fullerton.
Jordy Bahl shines in return as No. 16 Nebraska stuns No. 5 Tennessee
In a remarkable comeback, Nebraska's Jordy Bahl led her team to a 7-1 victory over No. 5 Tennessee at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida. Bahl, returning from a season-ending ACL injury in 2024, not only pitched a complete game but also hit a two-run home run, dominating on both sides of game.
The tilt remained scoreless until the fourth inning when Tennessee's Sophia Nugent hit an RBI double, putting the Vols ahead. Nebraska responded in the fifth inning with five runs scored. This offensive surge included Bahl's two-run homer, which was instrumental in shifting the momentum. The Huskers added two more runs in the seventh inning, sealing their lead.
She hit it out of the park AND the frame!! adds two more to the board with a homer to LF 💥
— Nebraska Softball (@HuskerSoftball)
M5 | Huskers lead 5-1
Bahl's performance was complemented by teammate Samantha Bland, who went 3-for-3 at the plate and contributed two RBIs. On the opposing side, Tennessee's starting pitcher, Karlyn Pickens, showcased her talent by striking out 11 hitters but faced challenges in the fifth inning that led to her replacement in the sixth.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Bahl, who had been sidelined since February 2024 due to her ACL injury.
No. 7 Texas A&M’s Kramer Eschete makes viral catch
Texas A&M outfielder Kramer Eschete wasted no time delivering one of the most jaw-dropping plays of the softball season.
In the second inning of the Aggies’ season opener against Utah State, Eschete chased a deep foul ball down the left-field line, leaped into the wall, and made contact with the ball. As it ricocheted back toward the field, she fell to the ground but stayed locked in, securing the catch mid-air before it hit the ground.
The second effort was UNREAL on this catch 🤯
— MLB (@MLB)
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The play quickly went viral, with fans and analysts alike stunned by the effort.
Eschete, who wears No. 91 for Texas A&M, has already set the bar high for defensive gems this season. The Aggies went on to win the game 11-5, but Eschete’s play stole the show. The left fielder finished the game going 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs at the plate.
NiJaree Canady's debut guides No. 10 Texas Tech past Marshall
In a highly anticipated season opener at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, No. 10 Texas Tech secured a 2-0 victory over Marshall, highlighted by NiJaree Canady's impressive debut in the circle.
Canady, a junior transfer from Stanford and the reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, entered in relief during the third inning and pitched 3.2 innings of no-hit softball. She struck out seven of the 13 hitters she faced, proving the dominance that made her a standout at Stanford, where she led the nation with a 0.73 ERA and 337 strikeouts in 2024.
Freshman Sam Lincoln started the game for the Red Raiders, pitching two solid innings and allowing just one hit. Offensively, Texas Tech capitalized on Marshall's defensive miscues. In the first inning, outfielder Mihyia Davis advanced from first to third on a throwing error, setting up utility player Alana Johnson's RBI single. Johnson later scored in the fifth inning on a passed ball, extending the lead to 2-0.
SHE WENT FOR IT 🫡 x 🎥
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball)
Johnson led the offense, going 2-for-2 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Despite leaving nine runners on base, the Red Raiders' pitching staff ensured the early runs held up. Chloe Riassetto closed the game, retiring all four batters she faced.
The Red Raiders continue their campaign Friday, facing No. 25 Mississippi State and Penn State.
No. 4 Oklahoma State beats No. 12 Florida State, 9-6
No. 4 Oklahoma State started its 2025 season on a high note, beating No. 12 Florida State 9-6 in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.
The Cowgirls wasted no time waking their bats up, scoring three runs total in the first two innings. They kept it simple in the first, scoring off an infield error and a single to left field. Third baseman Tallen Edwards was the first to homer, going deep in the second to give Oklahoma State a 3-0 lead.
First at-bat of the season for ?
— OSU Cowgirl Softball (@cowgirlsb)
First home run of the season for
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By the fifth inning, the Cowgirls had doubled their run total.
Washington transfer pitcher Ruby Meylan took care of business in her debut for the orange and black. She struck out nine in five innings and allowed just two runs, leaving right-hander RyLee Crandall with a 6-2 lead and two innings of work to complete.
Oklahoma State tacked on three more runs in the sixth — and they ended up being important runs. The Seminoles attempted a late comeback behind a four-run seventh spearheaded by two home runs, but it wasn’t enough to make it over the hump.
No. 14 Georgia’s huge first inning leads to a big win over NC State
The Bulldogs wasted no time with the Wolfpack at the Black and Gold Classic, winning 9-0 in five innings after a scorching-hot first.
It took Georgia only two pitches to get on the board, as center fielder Dallis Goodnight clobbered a home run to right field on the team's first at-bat of the game.
DALLIS GOOD-BYE 👋
— Georgia Softball (@UGASoftball)
What a way to kick off the 2025 season 💥
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Goodnight’s homer served as the trigger for the whole lineup to start racking, as the next eight batters at least reached first base. By the time Goodnight came back up to the plate, UGA had six more hits and runs. Coincidentally, Goodnight was the first Bulldog to get out on their own at-bat, grounding out on her second plate appearance.
After beating Cal State Bakersfield 3-2 earlier in the day, the Wolfpack couldn’t put together any momentum. They finished with three hits and zero runs in the contest.
Georgia tacked on two more runs in the fourth behind shortstop Emily Digby’s two-run homer to left center. Eight of Georgia's nine batters had at least one hit — four players had one or more RBI.
