Friday, May 21
Norman
7:30 PM

University of Oklahoma

19
vs
0

Morgan State

Photo by: Ty Russell

Sooners Shatter Records in Regional Opener

May 22, 2021 | Softball

NORMAN — The No. 1 overall seed Oklahoma softball team (46-2, 16-1) started the NCAA Norman Regional with a bang Friday night. 

The Sooners hit four home runs, eight doubles and scored 19 runs on 18 hits en route to a 19-0 run-rule win over Morgan State (24-16, 14-5) in five innings. 

The team's eight doubles set an NCAA Division I postseason record while redshirt senior Nicole Mendes broke the program record for RBIs in a postseason game with seven on the night. Mendes hit two home runs to tie the program record for homers in an NCAA regional game, one of which was a grand slam. Freshman Tiare Jennings set an NCAA regional program record with three doubles. 

OU's pitching staff threw its 22nd shutout of the season, allowing just one hit for the 10th time of 2021. 

The Sooners didn't take long to light up the scoreboard, plating seven runs on six hits in the first inning. 

Following a leadoff double from Jennings and walk to senior Jocelyn Alo, sophomore Kinzie Hansen ripped an RBI single to put the first run on the board. The next at-bat, junior Grace Lyons laid down a sac bunt to plate two. Freshman Jayda Coleman followed up Lyons in the lineup with her eighth home run of the season on a shot to left center. 

Mendes recorded her first run batted in on a groundout prior to Jennings registering her second double of the inning, scoring senior Jana Johns following her single. 

Oklahoma put six more across in both the second and third innings. 

In the second, after a single and hit by pitch, Snow hit an RBI double to right center prior to a walk to sophomore Mackenzie Donihoo that loaded the bases. Mendes then stepped into the box and blasted her second grand slam of the season and third of her career. 

Hansen closed the scoring in the second with an RBI double to score Jennings. 

Oklahoma put up six more runs in the third on five hits, including two home runs. It marked the 29th time of the season Oklahoma has hit two-plus homers in one inning. 

Following a walk to Coleman and single from senior captain Lynnsie Elam, sophomore Rylie Boone recorded her first postseason RBI with a sac-fly to center field. Pinch-hitting specialist Grace Green followed Boone with an RBI double to left before Mendes blasted her second home run of the night. 

Alo, the nation's home run leader, wouldn't be left out of the scoring on the night, hitting her 28th home run of the season and 82nd of her career to close the OU scoring. 

Nine Sooners recorded an RBI in the game and 11 collected at least one hit. Four recorded two-plus hits, led by Jennings' perfect 4-for-4 performance at the plate.

Oklahoma brought its season home run total to 134 with four round-trippers on the night. The total is tied for second best in NCAA history with the 2009 Arizona State squad. The 2010 Hawaii team holds the NCAA record with 158.

OU's pitching trio of redshirt senior Giselle Juarez, sophomore Olivia Rains and freshman Nicole May combined on the one-hitter, allowing just one run and one walk to the Morgan State offense. 

Juarez collected her 17th win of the season in the circle in 3.1 innings pitched to go with six strikeouts, one walk and one hit. Rains retired the two batters she faced in the fourth inning via strikeout prior to May closing the game with a groundout and two K's. 

Oklahoma advances to play Wichita State in the second round of the NCAA Norman Regional Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. Television coverage on one of ESPN's family of networks will be announced Saturday morning. The game can be heard on the radio via The Franchise (107.7 FM) in Oklahoma and the TuneIn app nationwide.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.


Home Run Pledge