Jocelyn Alo homers twice as Oklahoma blasts Texas to take the first game of the Women’s College World Series

Jocelyn Alo’s family collected two more home run balls Wednesday as Oklahoma easily advanced to the verge of successfully defending its softball national championship.

Alo blasted two of the Sooners’ six homers and reached base all five times up in a record-breaking 16-1 romp of Texas at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

Tiare Jennings also hit two home runs. She and Alo now share the record of five in a Women’s College World Series.

The Big 12 rivals meet again today in the best-of-three series. They play again Friday if the unseeded Longhorns can somehow recover enough to beat the No. 1-ranked and top-seeded Sooners.

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel, the former Mililani star who recently transferred to Oklahoma, was among those on hand to see the Sooners’ power display.

Alo, a Kahuku and Campbell alumna from Hauula, jokingly said she would have scolded Gabriel if he didn’t come.

“I would have called him and said, ‘Why aren’t you here?’ The sport is continuing to grow,” Alo said in an Oklahoma release. “People want to watch us play. They love to watch us play. They love to watch us dominate.”

Alo also doubled, was hit by a pitch and walked. She has hit four home runs in the last two games and reached base in all nine of her plate appearances.

The reigning two-time national player of the year added to her all-time career home run record, which now stands at 122.

“When she comes up I’m expecting her to hit a home run, probably like anyone else,” Sooners coach Patty Gasso said with a laugh. “It’s ridiculous that I’m thinking that way. But I see her at practice every day. I see what she’s capable of. It’s just so tough to beat her. She’s so strong. I’m spoiled, but I’m not wowed by it because I see it on a daily basis.”

As a team the Sooners (58-3) tied a WCWS record for runs in a game and their 52 runs in five games is the most in WCWS history.

Texas (47-21-1) held a brief 1-0 lead, taking advantage of three first-inning walks by Hope Trautwein, who settled down and got the win.

In the bottom half of the first, Alo gave OU the lead with a homer over the fence in left after Jayda Coleman led off with a double. Taylon Snow added a three-run homer, and the Sooners led 5-1 after one inning.

Alo scored in the second after starting the inning with a double. Grace Lyons drove her in with a single to left-center.

Jennings’ second homer, in the fifth inning, came right after Alo’s shot over the fence in right-center and made it 14-1.

Alo walked in the sixth and scored the Sooners’ final run.