Good afternoon from Oklahoma City, home of the Women’s College World Series.
The softball on the field has been electric as the championship series is a rematch between Texas and Texas Tech. Game 1 of the best-of-three is Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN.
However, the storylines off the field have been even better.
Let’s start with the 2026 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and two-time NFCA Player of the Year, Jordy Frahm.
Frahm has not just been the face of Nebraska Softball for the past three years; she has been one of the sport’s most prominent figures since her freshman year at Oklahoma.
On Monday, Frahm’s legendary status reached a new high when she revealed on social media that she is three months pregnant. She married former Nebraska baseball player, Trey, in August 2025.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time,” Frahm posted on Instagram. “Our greatest blessing is on the way. Baby Frahm coming December 2026.”
Baby Frahm will enter the world as a Big Ten champion and WCWS participant, which is just incredible.
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At three months pregnant, Frahm pitched 18 innings across three games in OKC. In Nebraska’s opening game against Arkansas, she pitched 10.0 innings. Two games later, she pitched 6.0 against Texas and hit a home run.
The solo shot led off the contest and solidified her legacy as one of the greatest two-way athletes ever to play the game, as she became the first NCAA player to hit 20 home runs and win 20 games in back-to-back seasons.
What Frahm accomplished this year is beyond incredible.
Frahm led the Nebraska offense in 2026 with a .403 batting average and 20 home runs. Frahm has added 51 RBIs, 11 doubles, and 60 runs scored. She had a slugging percentage of .806 and an on-base percentage of .496.
In the circle, Frahm was 21-6 with a 1.37 ERA and 12 saves. Her 12 saves set a Nebraska single-season record, tied the Big Ten single-season record and ranked sixth in NCAA history. She has added eight shutouts and has struck out 251 batters and only walked 33.
At this point, the wins and losses don’t even matter. Frahm alluded to that in her final press conference.
“I didn’t come home and change this program,” Frahm said. “No one person can do that. It was the girls that were already here that bought into what this program can do, all of the transfers coming in with the goal of knowing what this program could do. It was everybody, the last three years putting in their work to make this team what it was this year.
“So, yeah, God’s fingerprints were all over this team, all over my story, all over my career. I do truly believe that the way today ended is a part of that story, as well. The fruits that will come from it later on are things that will be revealed down the road.
“It really hurts right now. Just so thankful for the journey and to finish it with this team.”
Handshake Gate
The scene on the field following Friday’s game between Texas Tech and Tennessee turned into quite the spectacle.
Taylor Pannell, who transferred to Texas Tech after spending three years at Tennessee, was at the center of it.
Honestly, the whole interaction seemed off. It didn’t look organic, and the press conferences were awkward.
Tennessee beat Texas Tech 2-1, and after the two teams shook hands, Pannell began shouting. Head coach Gerry Glasco was there to support her, and then in the press conference, Pannell said Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly told her that she “made a mistake.”
Weekly was asked about the exchange first, which was interesting because she wasn’t near Pannell.
When Weekly was asked about what happened, she told reporters that she told Pannell, “Good game.”
It spilled over to social media with Pannell’s father attacking me for simply writing the story that was created by Texas Tech.
ESPN dug into the story and vindicated Weekly the following day.
If you want to read up on the controversy, head over to my story at Softball On SI.
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This week in softball
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Texas Fights to See Another Day at WCWS, Eliminates Mississippi State
Megan Grant Delivers Record-Setting Moment for UCLA at WCWS
Mississippi State’s WCWS Journey Showed the Power of Healing Through Softball
Tennessee Punches Ticket to WCWS Semifinals With Walk-Off Win Over Texas Tech
Alabama Advances to WCWS Semifinals Behind Dominant First Inning Against Nebraska
Texas Outlasts Nebraska at Women’s College World Series, Advances to Semifinals
Texas Tech Survives UCLA in Extra-Inning Thriller to Reach WCWS Semifinals
Texas Advances to WCWS Championship Series After Beating Tennessee Twice
Vintage NiJaree Canady Makes WCWS History, Leads Texas Tech Softball Back to Championship Series
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