Oklahoma's Jocelyn Alo clubs 96th career home run to break NCAA softball record

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Alo, playing in her home state for the first time since high school, hit her 96th home run of her storied career on Friday night to become the all-time leading home run hitter in NCAA softball history.

Alo's record-breaking home run came in the sixth frame of the Oklahoma game against the University of Hawaii.

Alo grew up about 30 miles north of the Hawaii campus in the small village of Hauula, and about two dozen family members were part of the overflow crowd to watch her set the record.

The two-run shot that put the Sooners up 9-0 was hit on a 1-2 pitch from Hawaii senior right-handed pitcher Ashly Murphy, who came into the game having thrown just 2 1/3innings this season. Alo hit a home run 40 feet above the sign in right-center field after she threw a curve over the plate.

Alo ran around the bases, pointing to her family in the crowd, after getting out of the batter's box. Her teammates mobbed her at the plate, and she came out of the dugout for a curtain call. Her reaction was both joy and relief.

Since tying the record, Alo's quest had been stymied as nearly every opposing pitcher refused to give her anything she could drive. In those eight games, Alo walked 18 times and was hit by a pitch. The eight games without a home run was the second-longest stretch of her career.

The strategy of keeping Alo from the record caused a lot of concern among the Sooners because it seemed to serve no purpose other than to keep Alo from the record. The Oklahoma team with the best offense in the country is 18-0 on the season and has won six of the eight games by run rule.

The crowd, which included the softball team from Alo's high school, reacted with anger and disbelief when Alo was walked in the third. When the game ended, Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso came out of the Sooners' dugout and had a conversation with Cal's coach.

Alo broke the record of another Sooner, Lauren Chamberlain, who expressed her support for Alo throughout her chase for the record.

She said she cared so much for her that she could not help but root for her. I enjoyed it for seven years. I have gotten a lot out of it, and now Jocelyn deserves it.

Alo, who took advantage of the extra season granted by COVID-19, still hit her 95th home run in 215 games, five fewer than Chamberlain, and fewer games than any of the others in the top 10 in career homers. She had to wait until game 222 to hit her 96th.

I wish I could have done it sooner so I could get this over with.