Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma softball: Sooners open up fall season with blowout win

By Chip Rouse

Jun 10, 2021; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners fielder Mackenzie Donihoo (12) makes a catch for an out against the Florida State Seminoles during the sixth inning during game three of the NCAA Womens College World Series Championship Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2021; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners fielder Mackenzie Donihoo (12) makes a catch for an out against the Florida State Seminoles during the sixth inning during game three of the NCAA Womens College World Series Championship Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The reigning national champion Oklahoma softball Sooners began the fall portion of their 2021-22 schedule on Tuesday with a runaway 24-0, nine-inning win over North Central Texas College.

The Sooners, who finished last season with a 56-4 overall record and defeated Florida State in the Women’s College World Series, started the new campaign exactly where they left off, as a run-scoring juggernaut. Oklahoma averaged over 10 runs a game in 60 games last season.

Jocelyn Alo, who returns for a fifth season and an extra season of eligibility granted student athletes because of the 2020 pandemic year, drove in Oklahoma’s first run with an RBI in the first inning, scoring sophomore Tiare Jennings, and drove in two more with a long bomb that cleared the batter’s eye in deep center field. Alo led college softball last season with 34 home runs.

Fence-clearing blasts by first baseman Taylon Snow and left fielder Mackenzie Donihoo led to six more runs in the third inning. Donihoo’s round-tripper was a three-run blast.

The six-run third inning put OU up 9-0, and head coach Patty Gasso began emptying her bench, which is again loaded with talented freshmen and a number of transfers.

Nicole May started the game in the circle for the Sooners. In three innings of work. After allowing a bloop single to the first hitter she faced, May retired the next eight batters, striking out six.

North Texas transfer Hope Trautwein entered the game in relief of May to begin the fourth inning and fanned six NCTC hitters over three scoreless innings. True freshman pitcher Jordyn Bahl, the No. 1 recruit in the 2021 national class, finished out the game for Gasso’s Sooners.

Oregon transfer Alyssa Brito introduced herself to the Sooner faithful with a booming home-run blast in the seventh inning.

The Lady Sooners are again in action on Friday night, hosting Oklahoma Baptist at Marita Hynes Field.

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