Jocelyn Alo homers as Oklahoma advances to semifinals of Women’s College World Series
ALONZO ADAMS / AP
Oklahoma utility Jocelyn Alo (78) celebrates on the way to home plate after hitting a home run during the first inning of an NCAA Women’s College World Series softball game against Texas on Saturday in Oklahoma City.
Jocelyn Alo adjusted well.
The Campbell High graduate from Hauula wasn’t her unstoppable self against rival Texas during the Big 12 season.
But Alo added to her all-time college softball home run record today, as the Sooners beat the Longhorns 7-2 in the Women’s College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
The defending national champions (56-2) improved to 2-0 in the double-elimination tournament and advanced to Monday’s semifinals. Alo went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, three runs and her 118th career homer.
Alo had one hit in nine at-bats in a series at Texas this season, including going 0-for-6 against Hailey Dolcini. Dolcini started today for the Longhorns and had dealt the Sooners one of their two losses this season.
“As good as a pitcher Dolcini is, I’m a really good hitter, too,” said Alo, who gave a shoutout to Hawaii during an on-field interview with ESPN. “I’m going to trust myself. I’m going to pick myself no matter what. I knew the adjustments I had to make, went out there and made them.”
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Her blast over the left-field fence off Dolcini in the first inning gave Oklahoma a 2-0 lead.
In the fifth, Alo singled to drive in the Sooners’ fourth run, and then scored on Tiare Jennings’ homer, giving Oklahoma a 6-1 lead. Alo ended the game with a season batting average of .500 with 30 home runs and 75 RBIs.
She walked in the seventh inning and scored the Sooners’ final run.
In today’s other game, Kelly Maxwell (21-4) threw a three-hitter and struck out nine, and Oklahoma State (48-12) defeated Florida 2-0 to advance to the semifinals.
In elimination games today, Texas plays Arizona and Florida plays UCLA.
