OU Shatters Home Run Record on Opening Day

Thursday, February 11

El Paso, Texas

11 AM

University of Oklahoma

1-0

UTEP

0-1

Oklahoma

UTEP

OU Shatters Home Run Record on Opening Day

February 11, 2021 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 OU 29, UTEP 0 Highlights Photos OU 9, ACU 0 Highlights Friday Streams Radio Live Stats

By: Patrick Dunn

EL PASO, Texas — The No. 4 Oklahoma softball team started the 2021 season with a bang on Thursday at the Miner Invitational. OU collected two shutout, run-rule victories in a record-setting day, topping UTEP (29-0) and Abilene Christian (9-0) by a combined 38 runs.

The Sooners set an NCAA single-game record for home runs in a game with 13 blasts in the first contest versus UTEP. Additionally, Oklahoma tied the NCAA record for homers in an inning with five in the first and fourth frames.

Freshman Tiare Jennings began her OU career with a 6-for-7, seven-RBI day, including an incredible four home runs, in OU's two games. Junior shortstop Grace Lyons also wowed, putting up a 5-for-7, nine-RBI day with four blasts, including her second career grand slam. Jennings and Lyons each homered three times against the Miners in the opener, tying a school record for most home runs by an individual player in a game.

Picking up where she left off in 2020 was sophomore Kinzie Hansen. Hansen went 5-for-5 versus UTEP, driving in three runs on two round-trippers.

Redshirt senior Nicole Mendes registered an impressive performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-5 with five RBIs and two home runs in OU's first contest of the day.

Seven Sooners finished with at least one home run on Thursday (Jennings, Lyons, Hansen, Mendes, senior Jocelyn Alo, sophomore Mackenzie Donihoo and freshman Jayda Coleman). It marked the first career blasts for Coleman, Donihoo and Jennings.

Additionally, the pitching staff had themselves an opening day in the circle. Redshirt senior Giselle Juarez was exceptional with six strikeouts and no runs, hits or walks allowed versus UTEP. Sophomore Olivia Rains closed game one for OU with three strikeouts and just a pair of hits allowed.

In OU's second game, freshman right hander Nicole May made her collegiate debut with a four-inning, three-strikeout performance, allowing just one walk. Sophomore Macy McAdoo finished game two strongly for the Sooners, pitching the fifth and final inning of the run-rule win. She registered two strikeouts and allowed one hit.

Oklahoma closes action at the Miner Invitational Friday with two more games against UTEP and Abilene Christian. The Sooners face the Wildcats at 11 a.m. CT before playing the Miners at 4 p.m.

RECORD BOOK

- OU broke the single-game NCAA home run record (all divisions) with 13 home runs vs. UTEP. The previous record was held by BYU (10 vs. Utah Valley, April 16, 2008) and UTSA (10 vs. Texas Southern, April 8, 2004).

- Oklahoma tied the NCAA record (all divisions) for home runs in an inning with five in the first and fourth innings vs. UTEP. Seven other schools, including OU in 2015 vs. East Carolina, share the record.

- Oklahoma set a program record for largest season-opening win with its 29-0 tally over the Miners, besting the 1980 season opener over Lady of the Lake, which was an 18-0 win.

- OU's 29 runs against UTEP rank second in program history. The Sooners scored 35 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 28, 2014.

- Junior Grace Lyons and freshman Tiare Jennings each hit three home runs vs. UTEP, tying the school record for HRs in a game (2 previous times, most recently by Shelby Pendley vs. ECU in 2015).

For updates and more information on Oklahoma softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.

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Next Event

Abilene Christian

W, 11-0

Feb 12 (Fri)

11 AM

Box Score Recap Highlights Watch Listen Live stats

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Juarez, Giselle (1-0)

L: V. Salazar (0-1)

S: Rains, Olivia (1)

Oklahoma

Batting:

2B: Alo, Jocelyn 1 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Coleman, Jayda 1

3B: Elam, Lynnsie 1

HR: Jennings, Tiare 3 ; Hansen, Kinzie 2 ; Alo, Jocelyn 1 ; Mendes, Nicole 2 ; Coleman, Jayda 1 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 1 ; Lyons, Grace 3

RBI: Snow, Taylon 1 ; Jennings, Tiare 6 ; Hansen, Kinzie 3 ; Alo, Jocelyn 3 ; Mendes, Nicole 5 ; Coleman, Jayda 2 ; Elam, Lynnsie 1 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 3 ; Lyons, Grace 5

SF: Mendes, Nicole 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Snow, Taylon 3 ; Jennings, Tiare 4 ; Hansen, Kinzie 3 ; Alo, Jocelyn 2 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Johns, Jana 1 ; Boone, Rylie 1 ; Mendes, Nicole 2 ; Coleman, Jayda 4 ; Elam, Lynnsie 2 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 2 ; Lyons, Grace 4