Niece of Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Playing For Women’s College World Series Championship
Ella Parker makes every pitch her moment. On Thursday night, the freshman from the University of Oklahoma has an opportunity to contribute to something bigger than one player as the Sooners look to clinch their fourth straight NCAA women’s softball national championship.
Parker, who wears No. 5 like her favorite player Corey Seager, is the niece of Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He’s brought his manager’s eye to her career, teaching her how to analyze her at-bats and breaking them down.
The years of him sitting behind home plate, watching her play from Westchester Del Rey Little League to her high school career, has prepared her for the moments little girls dream of.
With the season on the line Tuesday against Florida in the national semifinals, Parker went 3-for-4. She blasted a two-run home run in the first inning tying the game at 2-2. She tied the game at 5-5 with a single in the sixth inning, sending the crowd of 11,166 into a frenzy. The last single set up her teammate Jayda Coleman for the walk-off bomb in the eighth, sending the Sooners to the championship series against Texas.
Parker has commanded attention for years. She played for one of the best club teams in the county, Orange County Batbusters-Stith, and was named the Mission League MVP, the Daily News Player of the Year, an LA Times All-Star, and a Cal-Hi All-State member.
This season at OU, the left-handed power hitter was named a Third Team All-American and NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist. Entering the NCAA Tournament, she led Oklahoma in batting average (.419) and wOBA (.567) while producing a whopping 1.268 OPS.
As the Dodgers face the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday trying to avoid a sweep, Parker and the Sooners will be looking to rewrite history. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT on ESPN.
Photo Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
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