NORMAN — Ella Parker’s hot start this season has received some pretty high praise from OU coach Patty Gasso.

“She’s on like an Alo look with her at the plate,” Gasso said this week, relating Parker’s start to the otherworldly performances of Sooners legend Jocelyn Alo.

It’s hard to argue with Gasso right now.

Through the second-ranked Sooners’ first 10 games of the season, Parker is hitting .647 with 22 hits, seven doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs and six walks.

She’s struck out just once in 34 at-bats and has at least one hit in every game and multiple hits in all but two.

Parker will try to continue her hot streak this weekend when OU hosts the Norman Tournament beginning Saturday at Love’s Field.

The Sooners take on Tulsa at 3 p.m. Saturday, Wichita State at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Bowling Green at 11 a.m. Monday followed by Abilene Christian at approximately 2 p.m.

But where Parker has separated herself from Alo is in the start of her sophomore season.

After Alo’s sensational freshman season, where she hit .420 with 30 home runs and 72 RBIs in 2018, Alo struggled as a sophomore — by her standards.

Her average dipped to .379 and she hit 16 home runs with 56 RBIs.

It can be hard for players who have great success as freshmen to maintain that.

Opposing teams made adjustments and often players press to try to build on their freshmen success instead of relying on what built that success in the first place.

It’s a small sample size so far, but Parker has shown patience to this point.

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to do,” Parker said. “Not taking anything for granted but not trying to do too much with anything. Just taking it pitch by pitch and not really focusing on what I did last year but really looking through and looking through and looking to what’s ahead.”

Parker’s demeanor has helped her stay within herself.

“I’m kind of a person that just when it happens, it’s over and just look for the next thing,” Parker said. “I try not to look through the rearview but straight ahead into the front windshield. I think that’s what helps me keep everything so simple and keeping everything one step at a time.”

Parker didn’t arrive in Norman ready to conquer the world — or at least college softball.

It took her time to acclimate to hitting in a lineup alongside Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings, Alyssa Brito and more.

Now that the core of OU’s four-peat is gone, Parker has had to take on a bigger role in carrying the offense and in leadership.

“She came in as a somewhat intimidated freshman and tried to find where she was going to fit in on this team,” Gasso said. “So fortunately, went through all that, got through it, was one of the better freshmen hitters in the country.

“I think maturity has helped her quite a bit. Her learning, but her athleticism is taking over now to a different level. And she can’t be stopped. … She is swinging at a different pace.”

When the Sooners were in southern California to open the season, Parker — a Los Angeles native — had the team over to her house for a gathering and meal.

“At first it was a little weird because everybody was in my house,” Parker said. “But just so thankful that we were able to actually do that. Being able to see my family, I was really excited to see my dogs. So being able to see them and being able to bring my family that I care about so much to my softball team and my new family in Oklahoma was really cool. It was like my worlds were colliding.”

OU vs. Tulsa

FIRST PITCH: 3 p.m. Saturday at Love’s Field in Norman (SEC Network+)