Oklahoma defeated Texas 16-1 in the opening game of the championship finals, with Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings each setting a new record for the most home runs and RBIs during a Women’s College World Series. According to research conducted by ESPN Stats & Information, Oklahoma eclipsed the previous WCWS single-game record of four home runs set by UCLA in 2019 with six home runs during its victory against its opponent.
UCLA Championship Finals
The top-ranked Sooners fell behind 1-0 after starting pitcher Hope Trautwein walked in a run in the top of the first inning, but the Longhorns’ advantage would not endure. After Jayda Coleman’s leadoff double, Alo went up to the bat and blasted a two-run homer over the left-field fence, setting a WCWS record with 12 RBIs.
Four innings later, Alo added to her record by launching the ball over the center-field fence for her fifth home run in the WCWS, breaking the mark she set a year prior.
2 Games with Multiple Home Runs – an Ultimate World Record
Alo became the only player in WCWS history to have two games with multiple home runs. And she accomplished both feats in the same season, having hit two home runs against UCLA in the semifinals. Already the career leader in home runs with 122, Alo moved into second place in RBIs with 322. Former Arizona All-American With 328, Jenny Dalton-Hill is ranked first.
Not only Alo perform for Oklahoma, however. Jennings, who follows Alo in the batting order, blasted her fourth and fifth home runs in the WCWS, tying the record. With her fifth-inning solo home run, Jennings matched Alo’s record of 13 RBI.
Oklahoma tied for the most runs scored in a UCLA championship series since 2005 when the current format was implemented. Its victory over Texas by 15 runs was the highest margin of victory in the 77-year history of the Red River Rivalry, which was contested. Five-time national champion Gasso stated that she was not surprised by the landslide victory.
Bella Dayton, the center fielder for Texas, stated that the club must forget the past and go on.