Midseason Recognition: Transfer Of The Year

Over the next several days, Softball America will release its midseason recognitions. Each category represents an award for the end of the season. We will feature three athletes for each who we think you should keep a close eye on for the second half of the season.

Our first category is for Transfer of the Year and each of the student-athletes has a different story. One is a graduate transfer, one is a junior college transfer and one went viral for a bat flip.

Amanda Sanchez, LSU

Graduate transfer Amanda Sanchez ignited the Louisiana State offense as soon as she stepped onto the field this season. She is currently batting .505, slugging .892 and has a .644 on-base percentage.

She leads the team in batting average, on-base percentage, doubles (15) and hit by pitches (14). She is second of the team in slugging, runs scored (34), hits (47) and runs batted in (47).

Sanchez began her collegiate career at Missouri where she was named to the 2015 Freshman All-SEC team and was on her way to being an All-American until a season-ending injury happened in 2017. She applied for a medical redshirt and gained two more years eligibility giving her the opportunity to finish her playing career at LSU this season.

Molly Jacobsen, Ole Miss

As the 2018 NJCAA Division II Pitcher of the Year and a two-time first team All-American, Molly Jacobsen has a chance to become the next great JUCO-transfer at Ole Miss.

Just this past weekend against No. 7 Florida, Jacobsen struck out 27 in 21.1 innings of work.

In her first season in Oxford, Jacobsen is 10-2 with a 1.35 earned run average. She’s appeared in 18 games, started 12 and saved three. In 93.2 innings pitches, the junior has only allowed 18 earned runs, has struck out 98 batters and has walked 19.

Her biggest wins to date have been against Florida, Minnesota, Arkansas, Oklahoma State and South Carolina.

Samantha Show, Oklahoma State

Senior Samantha Show is no stranger to the spotlight. As a pitcher, first-baseman and designated player at Texas A&M, she was named to the 2016 SEC All-Freshman Team, 2017 SEC All Preseason Team, 2017 NFCA All-South Region First and 2018 NFCA All-South Region First Team.

This season at Oklahoma State Show has pitched, played first base and right field.

In 95.1 innings pitched, she has a 2.20 earned run average and has only allowed 30 earned runs. She also leads the pitching staff in appearances (17) and games started (13) in the circle. Her biggest wins this year have been against Kentucky, Arizona State and Oregon.

Offensively, she is hitting .312 with nine doubles, 10 homers and 31 RBIs.

2023 Women's College World Series Preview

Oklahoma, Florida State, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma State, Washington, Stanford and Utah will compete for a national title.