If you’ve been anywhere near the news when it comes to softball in the last week, you know that Oklahoma superstar senior Lauren Chamberlain tied the NCAA Div. I all-time home run record last Saturday when she blasted her 90^th career dinger in a 11-3 win over Baylor.

One more round-tripper and she breaks the mark she shares with legendary UCLA catcher Stacey Nuveman which the Bruin All-American set in 2002.

What you may not know, however, is how friendly and gregarious Chamberlain is off the field, which is what two young players from the Tulsa Elite organization found two weeks prior to Laura’s record-tying day.

On Friday, April 3, pitcher Paige Knight (left in the photo above) and centerfielder/pitcher Rylie Boone of the Tulsa Elite ’00 team got to go to the Sooners’ contest with Iowa State and meet with Head Coach Patty Gasso and the rest of the coaching staff prior to the game.

“Coach Gasso asked Rylie and Paige if they’d like to have their picture taken with one of the players,” recalls Rylie’s mother, Gayla, “and they said sure, ‘How about Lauren Chamberlain?’”

It wasn’t the first time Rylie had met the Oklahoma All-American—the eighth grader had gone to a Top Prospect camp in November and then a Winter Camp in January.

“Lauren remembered me,” explains Rylie, “and even after the winter camp she came and took pictures with the players and their families.”

In the photo, you can see Rylie looking at Lauren with a big grin; when asked what she was thinking, she laughed and said, “I was kind of astonished, to be honest, because I was standing next to Lauren Chamberlain! But she’s great, she’s friendly, outgoing and down to earth.”

Paige, who is a 2020 grad, and Rylie are both on the Oklahoma “watch list” meaning the Sooners are keeping an eye on them recruiting-wise.

What will make it interesting in the Boone home is Rylie’s older brother, Trevor, has committed to play baseball at Oklahoma State. It looks like it will be an in-state battle for the young softballer, who is a natural lefty and shines in basketball and track as well as softball.

So does Oklahoma State have the advantage because her brother will be going there?

“No,” replies the athletes mother, “because Rylie will go where it’s the best fit for her. She likes both Oklahoma and OSU, but there’s no hurry in picking either.”

It’s not like it would be the first time for there to be a rivalry within the Boone home, either: Trevor is the starting quarterback for Tulsa Memorial while Rylie will play sports at the cross-town rival, Tulsa Edison, starting this fall.

But the college softball decision is a ways away; for now, Rylie and Paige are still basking in the glow of getting their picture taken with one of the greatest college softball players ever.

And, in case you’re wondering, Lauren went out shortly after posing with her two young Sooner State friends and went 1-for-2 as the lead-off hitter with a double, run scored and two walks in a 4-2 OU win.

There’s a good chance Chamberlain may hit her next home run on the road: Oklahoma plays at Oklahoma State tomorrow (Wed.) night and then has Friday, Saturday and Sunday games at Kansas before a game Thur., April 30 at North Texas.

Be it away or on the road, you can be sure her two young Elite fans will be watching and cheering her own.

— Brentt Eads, Full Count Softball