Oklahoma Beats Fullerton Behind Jordy Bahl Perfecto; Jocelyn Alo's HR Chase Stalls
The home run chase will have to wait. For now, another victory will suffice for No. 1-ranked Oklahoma.
Jocelyn Alo didn’t hit the home run that would have been the 96th of her illustrious career and put her ahead of former Sooner Lauren Chamberlain on the NCAA career home run chart, but the Sooners still routed Cal State Fullerton 10-0.
In OU’s opening game Friday of the Mary Nutter Classic at Big League Dreams Field in Palm Springs, Alo — who hit five home runs last weekend in Houston — for now remained at 95 with an 0-for-2 day at the plate that included two walks.
Her teammates, on the other hand, may have been inspired by Alo’s historic chase.
The Sooners (11-0) hit four home runs on the day: a leadoff blast by Tiare Jennings to start the game, followed by a two-run shot by Lynnsie Elam and a three-run shot by Jayda Coleman in the second inning that gave the Sooners a 6-0 lead. Jennings mashed another solo blast in the top of the sixth for a 7-0 edge.
Freshman pitching sensation Jordy Bahl continued her mastery of college hitters with another gem. Bahl (5-0) pitched a perfect game, wiping out every Titans hitter over six innings with 11 strikeouts. It's the OU staff's second perfect game and Bahl's second no-hitter.
Alo's day didn't go according to plan. She followed Jennings’ first-inning homer by flying out to right field. In the second, with Jennings at first, Alo struck out. In the fourth inning, with the bases empty, she got nothing to hit and drew a four-pitch walk. In the sixth, given no pitches near the plate, she walked again.
Jana Johns ended CSF's best offensive hope in the fifth inning with another defensive jewel at third base, ranging to her left to scoop a hot grounder and throwing out Alyssa Hernandez at first.
Armed with a 1-0 lead to star the second inning, the Sooners plated five runs.
Grace Lyons led off the second with a triple, and Elam scored her with a big ball to left-center field. After Alyssa Brito walked, Mackenzie Donihoo singled through the right side. Coleman, batting ninth in the order, then stepped up and smashed Ellie Zellien’s offering over the fence in straightaway center for a 6-0 lead.
In the sixth, Jennings hit a one-out home run to right center and Alo drew her second walk. Turiya Coleman pinch-ran for Alo, and Kinzie Hansen ripped a double down the left field line. Coleman made it 8-0 when she came home from third on a sacrifice fly RBI by Grace Lyons. Brito pounded a bases-loaded, two-run, two-out single to left that scored Johns and Hansen and gave the Sooners a 10-0 lead.
The Titans (9-4) opened the Mary Nutter with two victories on Thursday.
The Sooners’ doubleheader continues Friday afternoon with a 5 p.m. (CT) game against Long Beach State.