Oklahoma Softball: Jocelyn Alo Ties NCAA HR Record as Sooners Run-Rule Texas State

OU's senior slugger smashes her 95th career home run as the Sooners run-rule Texas State on Sunday morning.

Jocelyn Alo hits No. 95 in Houston / OU Athletics

For now, Jocelyn Alo shares a piece of history.

Oklahoma's senior slugger hit a titanic blast to tie former Sooner Lauren Chamberlain's NCAA career record with her 95th home run as the Sooners run-ruled Texas State 8-0 in the final game of the Houston Classic at Cougar Stadium.

Batting second in the first inning Sunday morning against Texas State, Alo smashed a 1-0 pitch from Jessica Mullins over the wall in center field, setting off a raucous celebration at home plate.

"To tie it, tremendous celebration," said OU coach Patty Gasso. "And I love Lauren, she’s got my heart, she knows it. So it’s not even bittersweet. It’s just a celebration of Sooners. And that’s what this is about."

Officials tried to locate the commemorative ball, but Alo hit it out of the facility and it reportedly rolled into a storm drain.

🤙 𝐍𝐨. 𝟗𝟓!!! 🤙@78jocelyn_alo has tied the 𝐍𝐂𝐀𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝! 👑#ChampionshipMindset pic.twitter.com/XFM1Qjnn3e

— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) February 20, 2022

The home run scored leadoff hitter Jayda Coleman and gave the Sooners a quick 2-0 lead.

"Honestly, just ‘see ball, hit ball,’ " Alo said. "Just trying not to do too much. I was honestly in my head a little too much, and thankfully I got out of it. But just trying to do my thing and do what I do."

Chamberlain set her mark in 220 career games from 2012-15. Alo, a senior from Hauula, HI, reached it in 215.

Alo reached 95 in 634 at-bats, while Chamberlain hit her final home run in her final at-bat, No. 607.

Alo’s next two at-bats against the Bobcats were hard-hit line drives on the infield. But with the two RBIs, Alo also broke Chamberlain's school record for career runs batted in with 255.

Alo, who hit her fifth home run of the weekend, reiterated that she was overthinking things a bit for her liking.

"It was actually pretty crazy," Alo said. "I feel like coach just calmed me down through the whole process. Like this thing, it is a hard thing to do. But, just trying to enjoy every moment that happens."

"Well," said Gasso, "it’s very meaningful. She had a tremendous weekend. I worried about her a little bit, because she, right from the start, was really pressing. That was tough to watch. So (it was good) to see her just kind of let loose and let it go out here."

Alo’s blast was just the first of four two-run home runs on the day by the No. 1-ranked Sooners (10-0), who jumped to a quick lead against the Bobcats.

𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 🤙 pic.twitter.com/sKEGteLKEt

— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) February 20, 2022

Taylon Snow, who went 2-for-2 and now batting a team-leading .684 on the season, followed Alo with a two-run shot that scored Kinzie Hansen and put OU up 4-0.

In the second inning, Tiare Jennings hit a two-run homer to center to score Alyssa Brito for a 6-0 Oklahoma lead.

Senior Grace Lyons ended the run-run with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, scoring Snow.

𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐈𝐓 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐆𝟑! 🦁💣 @grace_lyons5 pic.twitter.com/mJOgXWoXMy

— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) February 20, 2022

For the season, OU is outscoring its opponents 95-2, and pitchers still haven't allowed an earned run.

The Sooners got more dominant pitching against the Bobcats.

Sophomore Nicole May (3-0) started and scattered two hits over four innings with five strikeouts and zero walks.

Freshman Jordy Bahl pitched a perfect fifth in relief.

Alo will have a chance to break the record next weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, CA, near Palm Springs. OU plays Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State on Friday, Arizona and Tennessee on Saturday, and Utah on Sunday.

"I believe it will happen in Palm Springs," Gasso said. "We’ll have a lot of people out there that get to witness this. Because it’s not just about the Sooners. It’s a moment in softball history. And any time you break records ins softball history, that’s tremendously huge, because they’re hard to break. So this is a celebration of our sport as well.I hope people look at it that way."

Said Alo, "It’s even sweeter when I get to hug my family after. My whole family got be here and experience this, so it was pretty cool.

"Hopefully next weekend, if it happens, my mom will be there as well, my grandparents. It will be just even more special."