Alo, Sooners crush Texas Tech
Jocelyn Alo hit three of Oklahoma’s six home runs Friday as the Sooners run-ruled Texas Tech, 11-0, in the first game of a three-game set in Lubbock, Texas.
The top-ranked Sooners improved to 34-0, passing last year’s team for the best start in school history.
Grace Lyons belted two homers and Tiare Jennings added a three-run blast as Oklahoma won its 28th game by run-rule.
OU ace Jordy Bahl (15-0) pitched a two-hit shutout and fanned five batters in the five-inning game.
Alo hit a 2-run homer in the second then added solo shots in the fourth and fifth innings to give her 19 home runs on the season and 107 in her career.
Lyons hit solo homers in the third and fifth innings. Jennings homered in the fifth, an inning where the Sooners scored six runs and hit three round-trippers.
The two teams resume the Big 12 Conference series Saturday at 2 p.m. The final game is set for noon Sunday.
‘Freedom to swing’: How Grace Lyons’ fearlessness fueled her growth at the plate for OU softball
Mid-Del swim coach steps down
Kirk Norman is stepping down as the Mid-Del Public Schools swimming coach, it was announced Friday.
Norman led the Carl Albert girls program to three consecutive state titles between 2019-2021 — the first swimming championships in school history — and the boys earned their first-ever state runner-up finish last year.
Norman wanted to spend more time with his six grandchildren. A new coach is expected to be hired within the next couple of weeks.
Elliott captures pole at Martinsville
Chase Elliott won the pole Friday for the Saturday night race at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.
The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion and current co-leader turned a fast lap at 96.151 mph in the new Next Gen cars to end co-leader Ryan Blaney’s string of three consecutive poles. Blaney qualified 12th.
Aric Almirola qualified second, followed by Cole Custer, James Buescher and William Byron, who won the Truck Series race at the track Thursday night.
Extra points
OKC DODGERS 3, ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES 2: A three-run third inning fueled the Dodgers win Thursday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Kevin Pillar hit a solo homer and Zach McKinstry lined a two-run double in the inning.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL: Oklahoma State’s game Friday at Iowa State was postponed due to the weather. A doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
COLLEGE TENNIS: Oklahoma State’s 12th-ranked women’s tennis team defeated West Virginia, 7-0, Friday at the Mountaineer Tennis Courts.
PRO TENNIS: Boris Becker could face a jail sentence after being found guilty of illicitly moving thousands of dollars from a bank account after he was declared bankrupt. A jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court convicted Becker on Friday on four charges under the Insolvency Act. The German star was found to have transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds after his June 2017 bankruptcy from his business account to other accounts, including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Sharlely “Lilly” Becker.
NFL: The Cleveland Browns added another quarterback as they try to figure out what to do with Baker Mayfield. The team agreed to a one-year contract with backup QB Josh Dobbs. Mayfield is still on Cleveland’s roster while the Browns try to find a trade partner for the former No. 1 overall pick. The Browns also signed safety Ronnie Harrison to a one-year deal.
Staff and wire reports
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball: Jocelyn Alo hits three home runs in rout of Texas Tech