Oklahoma hurls no-hitter in routing New Mexico
TEMPE, AZ — Oklahoma got immediate dividends for having a full roster on Friday.
Three OU pitchers combined on a no-hitter, Jana Johns returned to the lineup with a solo home run and Taylon Snow went 2-for-2, drove in two runs and scored twice as the No. 2-ranked Sooners routed New Mexico 9-0 in the first of two games at Arizona State’s Farrington Stadium.
The Sooners play the No. 13 Sun Devils at 5 p.m. — the game that OU coach Patty Gasso really thinks will finally test her club, which has outscored its first eight opponents 108-9.
Johns and Snow were among four Sooners held out of action last week in Houston due to COVID-19 protocols — what Gasso identified as the results of contact tracing. With those two and outfielder Nicole Mendes and sophomore pitcher Brooke Vestal back, and with slugger Grace Green available again after missing the opening weekend due to injury, OU had no trouble with the Lobos.
Giselle Juarez started and pitched a perfect first inning, Shannon Saile gave up just one walk in three innings, and Olivia Rains yielded a base on balls in her two innings as New Mexico failed to record a hit.
Jocelyn Alo had two hits and an RBI and Jayda Coleman hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning as OU rolled to 8-0 record.
The Sooners are scheduled for five games in the desert this weekend. On Saturday, OU plays two games at Grand Canyon University (versus New Mexico at noon and then against the hosts at 4:30), and on Sunday, the Sooners face Portland State in a 10 a.m. at GCU.