Sooner boomers
- Updated: June 27, 2023
Oklahoma legends Alo, Ricketts star as Spark takes series opener against Oxford’s Smash It Sports Vipers 3-0. Series continues Wednesday and Thursday at Choccolocco Park
By Brant Locklier
Special to East Alabama Sports Today
A pair of University of Oklahoma legends came to Oxford on Tuesday night and showed why they were legends as the Oklahoma City Spark shut out Oxford’s Smash it Sports Vipers 3-0 in the Women’s Professional Fastpitch softball action.
It was the first of a three-game series between the two teams in Oxford. The Spark improved to 8-1, and the Vipers fell to 1-7.
First, it was Jocelyn Alo, MVP of last year’s Women’s College World Series that her Sooners won. She finished her career as the all-time NCAA home runs leader.
Against the Vipers, Alo lined a single up the middle in the top of the first inning, stole second and then came home on a two-out single by Sydney Sherrill for the game’s first run.
Alo stepped to the plate in the third with a runner on second and blasted the first pitch off the light pole in right-center field for a 3-0 lead.
”I got a good pitch and was just looking for something to hit hard somewhere, and it went out,” Alo said. “I have done a lot of work in the off-season, and my hitting is a result of a lot of preparation. I really want to have a good year for the Spark.”
“We are loving the great competition in this league as all these players are good, and are feeling great with our good start.”
It was all the Spark would need as Keilani Ricketts, from 2013 Women’s College World Series fame, would shut down the Viper offense. The tall lefty mixed fastballs with changeups and kept the Viper hitters off balance. She allowed three hits in 5 2/3 innings, and two of those were infield hits.
She threw 61 pitches and only had 10 balls as her control was excellent.
”I was using my changeup and all my pitches to keep the hitters off-balance,” Ricketts said. “I have to do that to get outs. I was trying to attack the zone and was making some good pitches tonight.”
Vipers pitcher Sierra Hyland only gave up four hits to the Spark, struck out eight batters and retired the final 14 hitters she faced.
“I kept mixing my speeds, using my whole arsenal and got things really going after the third inning,” Hyland said. “I got one pitch up, and that is what Alo will do if you do that.”
She threw 111 pitches with 72 strikes in seven innings.
Suzy Brookshire broke up Ricketts’ perfect game bid with a double to right-center field with one out in the fourth.
“I was just trying to get something in the air and let whatever happens happen,” Brookshire said. “It was fun hitting off a legend like Ricketts.
“We are getting better. We had some runners on base late in the game but could not get anyone around. We have to learn to pick up our intensity early in the game.”
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