There was a great deal said about the Oklahoma Sooners who did not make the top three for the USA Softball National Player of the Year honor. Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings and Jordy Bahl were finalists (top 10) but missed the cut.

One of the players who made the shortlist is Clemson’s Valerie Cagle. Cagle is tied for seventh in the nation with 19 home runs and tied for 18th in RBIs. Her .467 batting average is fifth in college softball.

She put together an incredible season at the plate. She also has been Clemson’s best pitcher in 2023. Her 25 wins are tied for eighth, and her 1.20 ERA is 11th in the country.

She’s a two-time ACC player of the year and was the conference’s freshman of the year in 2021. According to our friends over at Clemson Wire, she’s had 23 multiple-hit and 16 multiple RBI games in 2023.

She has been a do-it-all force for the Clemson Tigers. The Oklahoma Sooners will have quite the task to keep her contained at the plate and getting to a pitcher that’s only allowed a .174 batting average across 660 at-bats.

As the Sooners look to extend their nation-best 46-game winning streak, they’ll face a stiff test from one of the best players in the nation.

The Oklahoma Sooners and Clemson Tigers will begin their super regional showdown on Friday, May 26, at 1 p.m. CT in Norman. The game can be viewed on ESPN2.

More Softball!

No. 1 Oklahoma vs No. 16 Clemson: how to watch, weekend preview, key players

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Story originally appeared on Sooners Wire