Nebraska’s Geordivar Makes Waves in Postseason
This season, Nebraska’s Geordivar has been a force to be reckoned with, particularly evident during Friday night’s super regional showdown against Tennessee in Knoxville.
Bahl took the mound for the Huskers, completing the game with just two runs allowed over seven innings, with seven hits and six strikeouts along the way. On the offensive side, she contributed to the team’s success, bringing in runs through walks and hits. Ultimately, Bahl’s performance led to a 5-2 victory for Nebraska, propelling the team to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2013.
While Barr has consistently excelled this season, her talents are getting the recognition they deserve in the postseason. Analysts and commentators have begun to take notice of her skills. Many are suggesting she might be the best two-way player in college softball right now.
When comparing her to MLB MVP Shohei Ohtani, it feels fair given Bahl’s stats in hitting and pitching. She is currently tied for fifth in the nation in batting average at .475 and seventh in home runs with 23. On the pitching side, she holds a 1.50 ERA, ranking sixth, along with a solid 26-6 record, placing her tied for fifth in victories.
Remarkably, she is the only player nationally ranked in the top 10 for all four of these categories. Because of this, she is one of three finalists for the USA Softball National Player of the Year Award. The other contenders are Texas Tech’s Nijaly Canady and Arkansas’s Bri Ellis. While Bahl’s performance recalls Ohtani’s prowess, Ellis has impressive stats reminiscent of Barry Bonds, and Canady stands out as one of the best pitchers in the game with a 0.88 ERA.
Bahl also holds sixth place in OPS at 1.576, fourth in runs scored with 71, and second in hits allowed per seven innings at 3.72.
A Nebraska native standing 5-foot-8, Barr has had her most successful season since transferring from Oklahoma. She was named both Big Ten Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year this season.
Some see Ohtani’s influence in her play; however, for Barr, the dream of reaching Oklahoma City is a personal goal as the program aims for its ninth appearance.
