Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells sets freshman HR record with dramatic blast vs. Texas
By David Wasson
Published:
No one in college softball has hit more homers in a single season than Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells.
The first-year slugger belted her 31st home run of the season Saturday night – a new NCAA record for a freshman – as the Sooners downed No. 4 Texas 4-3 to earn an SEC series victory in Austin.
Wells’ homer, a three-run blast in the fifth, broke a three-way tie for the previous NCAA freshman single-season home run record – which was shared with Oklahoma legends Lauren Chamberlain and Jocelyn Alo as well as Hawaii’s Kelly Majam. The NCAA record for single-season home runs is 37, set by Arizona’s Lauren Espinoza in 1995.
Oklahoma (40-3 overall, 13-1 SEC) can sweep the series Sunday (2 pm ET, ESPN). Texas (32-6, 9-5) has now lost four straight games.
Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!
The Longhorns went up 1-0 in the first inning via a Viviana Martinez RBI single, but the Sooners tied it back up in the second when Gabbie Garcia homered to left field. Texas retook a one-run advantage in the fourth on Jaycie Nichols’ infield single.
Following Wells’ record-breaking blast in the fifth, Texas narrowed the margin to 4-3 on a Leighann Goode RBI single.
Miali Guachino (12-0) earned the victory for Oklahoma, scattering seven hits over six innings with six strikeouts. Audrey Lowry pitched the seventh inning to earn her second save. Citaly Gutierrez (5-1) took the loss.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
