Jordy Bahl accepts ‘overwhelming’ honor in Nebraska hometown
PAPILLION, Neb. (BVM) — It was a surreal sight at Papillion Landing in Papillion, Neb., on Friday morning as Jordy Bahl and Peaches James Keaton were seating alongside Nebraska softball coach Rhonda Revelle and Papillion-La Vista High School softball coach Todd Petersen.
The two streets that intersect at the ballpark will forever be known as Jordyn Bahl Boulevard and Peaches James Way. Both pitchers addressed the media after the unveiling ceremony.
Special day today as two Huskers have intersecting streets named after them in their hometown of Papillion.
Congrats Peaches & Jordy‼️#GBR • #HomeGrown pic.twitter.com/44RI1WC2Rp
— Nebraska Softball (@HuskerSoftball) July 21, 2023
“I’m serious, that’s nothing I could’ve imagined or could’ve thought was ever going to happen,” said Bahl, who recently announced her transfer to Nebraska after winning back-to-back national championships with Oklahoma. “This is an honor that means one of the most. Just having it be Papillion, the hometown where I grew up, it’s overwhelming with awe.”
Bahl, who won three state championships with PLV, was a two-time Gatorade Nebraska Player of the Year and one-time Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year. She collected all-state honors in all four years as a Monarch.
Lucky to be a part of this great ceremony. Congrats @jordybahl and Peaches! #WeArePLV pic.twitter.com/008jOJfcvB
— Papillion-LaVista Monarch Softball (@papiosoftball) July 21, 2023
Keaton won four state titles with the Monarchs and earned all-state honors all four years. She set 10 Nebraska state softball records including consecutive pitching wins (31), consecutive shutouts (19), consecutive shutout innings (162.1), consecutive innings with no earned runs allowed (257.2), lowest season ERA (0.04) lowest career ERA (0.13), most no-hitters in a season (11), most perfect games in a season (five), most career perfect games (six) and consecutive perfect games (three).
“Being recognized with her (James) is the coolest part of it and an incredible honor,” Bahl said. “Growing up, she was the name I heard. I saw her name on the record board every day at school with all of them. I always knew she was the G.O.A.T. so being recognized with her is part of what makes it so cool just because she’s someone I’ve always looked up to.”
A honor to recognize two @CityofPapillion legends in #softball by renaming streets at the #PapillionLanding softball complex. Inspiring the next generation of young ladies and little girls. #PeachesJames and @jordybahl pic.twitter.com/Y5mMgd7e8b
— Mayor David P. Black (@dpblack) July 21, 2023
Keaton went on to have a stellar career with the Huskers. She was the first pitcher to earn All-Big 12 honors four times at Nebraska and was named an All-American her senior year.
“When I got the phone call, I was just in shock that they would even think to do this,” Keaton said. “It’s such a great honor and never in a million years would I have dreamt that it would’ve been me to have my name up there.”
Keaton and Bahl are the two best players to come out of PLV. The similarities between the two are eerily similar and Revelle compared the two in her speech during the ceremony.
“I didn’t realize (how similar we are),” Keaton said. “Just hearing Jordy talk about her faith, faith is something that has been important to me for a long time and is part of my journey. Hearing her speak about that was intriguing. Hearing all the different things that Rhonda sees in Jordy and I is pretty cool. Being compared to someone like Jordy is pretty awesome.”
Bahl will officially follow in Keaton’s footsteps in Lincoln this fall. Fans will have nine opportunities to see her play for The Red Team Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers will host three intrasquad scrimmages on Sept. 14, 21 and 28. Starting Oct. 1, Nebraska will play six exhibition contests against Omaha, Creighton, Colorado State and South Dakota.
All fall contests are open to the public with free admission.
