Ella Parker is Thriving in Oklahoma's Outfield

Ella Parker’s first season as Oklahoma’s everyday right fielder couldn’t have gone much better. 

The OU slugger just wanted a chance to help her team, and she produced an SEC All-Defensive Team season. 

Parker has yet to commit an error, but her arm has become a weapon. 

She recorded three assists, gunning down runners at the plate from right, representing an area of major growth for the junior. 

“She really worked on strengthening her arm,” OU coach Patty Gasso said on Tuesday. 

Parker hoped to put that work on display last year, but an injury limited her work in the outfield. 

“She, back then, was having those shin-splint problems that we wanted to keep her off the field, but now she's feeling much better,” Gasso said. “She's moving really well, tracking balls down really well. 

“I feel very, very confident with her there, and I think she feels that as well.”

The increased workload hasn’t hurt her hitting, either. 

Parker enters the NCAA Tournament with a .416 batting average, which is only seven points off the career-high she set a year ago. 

She’s hammered a career-best 21 home runs and has driven in 61 runs, which is only behind her tally of 62 RBIs from her freshman campaign. 

Outfield teammate Abby Dayton has played with Parker since their travel ball days, and the OU senior always believed Parker had this kind of season in her. 

“She’s always had that competitiveness and so she was just like, ‘Put me on the field,’” Dayton said. “She didn’t care where she played. And so being able to see her in right field making all these great plays, throwing people out, it’s just been so fun to root for her.”

Dayton has enjoyed both of her teammates in the outfield, Parker and Kai Minor, and she can’t wait to finish out her career alongside the duo. 

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“It’s super fun in the outfield just having two people that are super competitive and great with their defense,” Dayton said. 

Parker was one of the Sooners’ two selections on the SEC All-Defensive Team alongside Gabbie Garcia, which made Dayton proud. 

“I’ve seen Ella grow up since she was 10, so I always knew that she could do this and I was excited to see that she made the All-Defensive team,” Dayton said.