The 2021 softball season is officially underway and #4 Oklahoma served notice on Thursday that they are as strong as ever. With 5 home runs in the first, 1 in the second, 2 in the 3rd, and 5 again in the 4th the Sooners blasted a school, and NCAA, record 13 home runs in a 29-0 win over UTEP.
Junior Grace Lyons was 4-of-5 from the plate with 5 RBI and three home runs to lead Oklahoma’s offense. Freshman Tiare Jennings also sent the ball out of the park three times as the Sooners were going deep at a record pace.
Nicole Mendes returned healthy to Oklahoma’s lineup after missing most of the Covid shortened 2020 season with a knee injury.
Oklahoma set the school record for home runs in a game in the top of the fourth when Jocelyn Alo went deep for her first home run of the season. It was the ninth of the game for the Sooners with more to come. The thirteenth homer of the game came off the bat of sophomore Mackenzie Donihoo who sent the ball deep in the top of the 4th for her first career home run.
Giselle “G” Juarez also returned healthy for the start of the 2021 season and delivered a dominating performance from the circle. She struck out six batters and didn’t allow a hit in three innings of work. Sophomore Olivia Rains too the circle in the fourth to complete the shutout. She held the Miners scoreless over the final two frames and allowed just two hits.
The Sooners play their second game of the season this afternoon when they take on Abilene Christian at 4:00 PM (CT).
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