Alo Sets NCAA Home Run Record, Sooners Take Two

Friday, March 11

Honolulu, Hawai'i

10 PM CT

University of Oklahoma

18-0

Hawai'i

5-8

Oklahoma

Hawaii

Alo Sets NCAA Home Run Record, Sooners Take Two

March 12, 2022 | Softball

Box Score Highlight: No. 96 Highlights vs. Hawaii Highlights vs. Cal Box Score vs. Hawaii Box Score vs. Cal #LaunchPad Trophy Club Photo Gallery

HONOLULU — Jocelyn Alo is the new home run queen of college softball.

In front of the home crowd of friends of family in Honolulu, Alo hit career home run No. 96 to break the tie with OU alum Lauren Chamberlain to be the NCAA career home run leader.

"It definitely was a surreal moment, everything coming full circle and getting to do this in front of my home crowd was super exciting," said Alo. "Looking up after, I was like 'Dang, I'm so blessed to be home.'

"Just to be home and do it in front of them (family), for them, I can't even put it into words."

After an eight-game stretch that saw Alo walk a combined 16 times including three intentional walks, the Hauula, Hawaii, native left no doubt when she saw the pitch she wanted Friday night.

The historic homer came in the top of the sixth inning versus Hawaii, a two-run blast to right center on a 2-1 count. Alo went 3-for-3 in the game with three RBIs.

"It's definitely a weight lifted off my shoulders," continued Alo. "I feel like now I can breathe, the team can breathe and we can continue to elevate our game from here on out."

Alo and the Sooners (19-0) took two on the day, beating Cal in the early game 8-0 in five innings before topping host Hawaii 11-0 in six in the nightcap.

The first game saw six Sooners collect hits, with five batting in at least one run. Senior Grace Lyons paced the team with a 1-for-2 showing including a three-run home run in the third to bring the game into run-rule territory.

OU pushed runs across in each of the first three innings. In the first, redshirt senior Jana Johns plated sophomore Tiare Jennings on an RBI single. The second inning saw junior Mackenzie Donihoo and Jennings bring in two more on a single and bases-loaded walk, respectively.

The Sooners scored five runs on five hits in the third. Following an RBI single from sophomore Alyssa Brito and a wild pitch that brought home sophomore Jayda Coleman, Lyons launched her fifth homer of the season to left center.

Freshman Jordy Bahl went the distance to collect her eighth win of the season in shutout fashion, striking out six and surrendering just three hits and a walk.

Highlighted by Alo's record-breaking blast and a 13-strikeout performance from redshirt senior Hope Trautwein, OU shut out its second opponent on the day in the Rainbow Wahine.

Alo got things started in the first on an RBI double that brought in Lyons before the Sooners put up four runs on one hit and an error in the third.

Super senior captain Lynnsie Elam hit her second homer of the season, hitting one off the foul foul beyond left field. Later in the frame, junior Rylie Boone executed a squeeze bunt to perfection to score Coleman before Boone and Lyons reached home on an error to close the inning.

OU pushed six runs across on four hits and an error in the sixth. Following an RBI double from Lyons and wild pitch that scored Boone, Alo blasted No. 96 on a no-doubter to right center. Later in the inning, Elam reached on an error, allowing Jennings to race home. Donihoo closed the Sooner scoring with an RBI groundout to plate Johns.

Alo led the team with her perfect 3-for-3, three RBI performance while five other Sooners registered a hit and four brought in a run.

In the circle, Trautwein K'ed an OU-career high 13 batters and allowed no runs and just two hits, a walk and one HBP.

The Sooners close their weekend at the Rainbow Wahine Classic Saturday with a 4 p.m. CT rematch versus Hawaii.

The game can be seen via ESPN+ and heard on the radio on The Franchise 2 (103.3 FM/1560 AM) in Oklahoma and nationwide on the TuneIn app with OU play-by-play announcer Chris Plank on the call.

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