Twenty-three plate appearances later, Oklahoma freshman phenom Kendall Wells finally hit the home run that would have put her in the NCAA record book. Would have.
Wells on Friday afternoon hit a 289-foot two-run bomb almost out of Love's Field in the No. 3 national seed Sooners' 11-0 run-rule win against Binghamton in the first game of the Norman Regional to begin NCAA Softball Championship play.
Kendall Wells ends home run slump to get back in NCAA record chase with UCLA's Megan Grant
Over the loge boxes in center 😳@KendallWells__ | 📺 SECN pic.twitter.com/WXWEgioeF3
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) May 15, 2026
It had been five games since Wells last hit one out to tie the NCAA record for most home runs in a season at 36. During that time, as opposing pitchers did everything to throw away from Wells' booming bat, UCLA senior Megan Grant snatched the record herself in a race that has mirrored Mark McGwire vs. Barry Bonds in 1998, three years after the now broken college softball home run record was set by Arizona's Lauren Espinoza in 1995.
Not one hitter in 31 years had been able to touch the mark Espinoza set, then all of a sudden, there were two, leaving Wells not just competing with the record in front of her, but also Grant creeping up behind her all season.
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When Wells tied the record against Georgia on April 25, Grant was still two behind her at 34. She hit four during Wells' homer slump, though, to, at least for now, obtain the national lead and record at 38 heading into this weekend. But with the NCAA Tournament here, Grant is about to start getting the same treatment as Wells and face the same level of pitching. Grant might have a head start, but the two hitters are now finally on a level playing field.
During Wells' 22 plate appearances without a home run, she was walked 10 times, including once against Binghamton on Friday. That trend will surely continue throughout the NCAA Tournament as teams try to make some noise and knock off the Sooners by keeping Wells' bat as quiet as possible. The only pitching staff that Grant could face in the Los Angeles Regional that doesn't have a team ERA in the top 30 of college softball is South Carolina from the SEC.
Wells already has the SEC and OU program record for most home runs in a season, as well as the NCAA freshman record. Now, she also has what would have crowned her as the ultimate home run queen, but Grant can't get comfortable on that throne.
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