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Alo hits two homers, Sooners rout Longhorns in WCWS finals opener

Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo celebrates as she makes her way to home plate after hitting a home run in the first inning of the Sooners’ 16-1 victory over Texas in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series finals Wednesday. AP photo
Oklahoma players greet Jocelyn Alo with shakas at home plate after she hit a first-inning home run Wednesday. Alo, from Hauula, Oahu, also homered in the fifth. Tulsa World via AP photo

The Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings fueled Oklahoma’s record-setting offensive burst to help the Sooners move a victory away from successfully defending their Women’s College World Series title.

Each hit two home runs and top-seeded Oklahoma rolled past unseeded Texas 16-1 on Wednesday in Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series.

“It was like an avalanche,” Texas coach Mike White said. “Once it starts going, it starts gathering steam, and it’s harder to get it to stop.”

With former Oklahoma basketball star Trae Young and Sooners football coach Brent Venables present, Oklahoma (58-3) set a World Series record with six home runs and matched records for runs and victory margin.

A championship series-record crowd of 12,234 watched the show.

“People want to watch us play,” Alo said. “They love to watch us play. They love to watch us dominate. I think it’s super cool. It’s only going to get better from here.”

Alo set a single-game World Series mark with five runs and now has set the single-series record for runs scored with 11. The slugger from Hauula, Oahu, went 3-for-3 and increased her batting average to a nation-leading .527.

Alo and Jennings each have five home runs in the World Series, surpassing the single-series record of four set by several players, including Alo last year. Alo increased her career Division I homer record to 122, and Jennings drove in five runs to set a record for RBIs in a series with 14.

They had plenty of help — Oklahoma had 16 hits.

“They’re really frickin’ good,” Texas catcher Mary Iakopo said. “Hats off to their one through nine.”

Alo’s second homer was her 34th of the season, matching the Oklahoma school record she set last season. Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said she now expects homers when Alo steps to the plate.

“It’s ridiculous that I’m thinking that way,” she said. “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.”

The teams will meet again today in Game 2, with Oklahoma in position to win its sixth national title. Texas (47-21-1) needs a win to stay alive. The Longhorns have won six elimination games since the start of the NCAA tournament.

Oklahoma does not intend to play a third game.

“We’re prepared,” Alo said. “We’re going to have the momentum. It’s time to win another ballgame.”

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