The Oklahoma Sooners started their quest for a three-peat by sweeping a double header against Weber State and Grand Canyon in the GCU Kickoff Tournament, in Phoenix, AZ.
Oklahoma 6 – Weber State 3
Sophomore Mariah Lopez stated game one, in the circle, for the Sooners but it was true freshman Jocelyn Alo that stole the show. After Lopez tossed a 1-2-3 first inning, Alo reach base on a single and then promptly stole second. A triple by Shay Knighten sent Alo across home plate for Oklahoma’s first run of the season. A Fale Aviu single would score Knighten, giving OU a 2-0 lead at the close of the first frame.
Oklahoma’s offense would stagnate over the next few innings allowing Weber State to build a 3-2 lead, thanks in part to a 2-run homer off the bat of Ashlyn Visser.
The Wildcat lead didn’t last long though. Senior Paige Lowary relieved Lopez and closed out the fourth with no further damage. Oklahoma’s offense continued to stall through the bottom of the fourth but Lowary kept Weber State in check in the top of the fifth by retiring the side in order, including two strikeouts.
Alo tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with her first career home run as a Sooner. Oklahoma added two more in the fifth to regain the lead at 5-3 and Lowary continued her dominance by sitting the Wildcats down in order to open the sixth.
We think you'll hear this a lot this season… HOME RUN JOCELYN ALO!
Her first homer as a Sooner ties it up, 3-3! pic.twitter.com/2OTn91mq2T
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) February 9, 2018
Alo would strike one more time in the bottom of the sixth with a line drive up the middle that scored Nicole Mendes, producing the final score of 6-3. If you’re keeping track, that was a home run, two runs scored and two RBI for Alo in the opener.
Oklahoma 8 – Grand Canyon 1
The Sooners took on host school Grand Canyon, in the night cap, and produced a bit more offense behind a 4-for-4 performance from Knigten and a home run from Nicole Pendley.
An RBI sacrifice from Aviu scored Alo in the top of the first and then Pendley scored in the top of the second on a throwing error. The Sooners doubled their lead in the top of the third off an RBI single from Sydney Romero and a sacrifice by Reagan Rogers.
Two more came home in the top of the next frame as OU placed six runs on the board through the first four innings. Meanwhile, Paige Parker was making the 100th start of her career and was completely dominating Grand Canyon.
Parker allowed just two hits, and struck out five, before giving way to Lowary in the sixth. GCU finally got on the board on an error in the sixth but any excitement they may have built up quickly went away when Pendley smashed a 2-run homer over center field in the seventh to give us a final of 8-1.
The Sooners will play two again on Saturday, starting with Montana around 12:30 p.m. and then will face Grand Canyon one more time Saturday evening.