No. 1 Oklahoma extended its record to 29-0 with a three-game sweep over Baylor. The first two games of the series were run-rule routs, but the Sooners nearly lost on Sunday, before prevailing 3-1 with a two-out rally. As described in this article from the OU athletics website:  In clutch fashion, the Oklahoma offense responded in the seventh. Down to their last out, pinch hitter Kinzie Hansen laced a single to right field before a single to left from Mackenzie Donihoo put two runners on base to set the stage for the top of the lineup. On a 3-1 count, [Tiare] Jennings blasted her 12th home run of the season on a three-run shot to center field to walk off the Bears and keep OU's record perfect. No. 2 Florida State suffered only its second loss of the season, dropping the middle game of a three-game set with Boston College. No. 3 UCLA swept Washington in Seattle to extend the Bruins' winning streak to 21 games.  *** It was announced over the weekend that Florida Atlantic U

Traditional rivals UCLA and Arizona got together in Los Angeles to open up Pac 12 play in an unusual Saturday-Sunday-Monday format. The series wasn't even close, as the Wildcats failed to score a run all series (screenshot from UCLA athletics website).,, Megan Faraimo went the distance for the Bruins for the opener, Holly Azevedo did likewise for UCLA in Game 2, and then Faraimo (four innings) and Lauren Shaw (three innings) combined for the shutout in Game 3. The Bruins next travel up to Washington for a Friday-Saturday-Sunday series against the Huskies. * * * Nationally, No. 1 Oklahoma (25-0) will play at Kentucky tonight (SEC Network), before the Sooners return home to start Big 12 play Friday in a three-game series with Baylor.

Oklahoma's Jocelyn Alo hit her 96th career collegiate home run this past Friday night against the University of Hawai'i, breaking the NCAA record of 95 that was held by former Sooner Lauren Chamberlain (2012-2015).  Although Alo's college career will (barring injury) end up being longer than usual -- full seasons in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022, plus the partial 2020 season that was shortened due to COVID-19 -- her career home-run record is not simply a result of appearing in extra games compared to previous players. As the linked article at the beginning of this post says, Alo "hit her [record-tying] 95th home run in 215 games, five fewer than Chamberlain." Plus, if Alo slugs homers at her typical brisk pace for the rest of the present season, her career total will almost certainly exceed 95 even ignoring (for the sake of argument) her 8 homers from the "excess" 2020 season.

Several SEC teams are beginning conference play this weekend. Here are some comments from action I've caught on the SEC Network... Mississippi State off to an early 3-0 lead at No. 4 Florida ( online scoreboard )... Six-run fifth inning sparks Gators to 8-4 win... LSU is threatening to hand No. 2 Alabama (20-0) its first loss of the season. The Tigers, playing at home, lead the Tide 11-6 in the bottom of the fifth ( online scoreboard ). Three-run shot by LSU's Taylor Pleasants making it 10-6 in the fifth ( video via Twitter ) is the most recent big hit in this slugfest... Tigers continue their rally in the fifth, with an 11th run across and runners on second and third with two out... Walk loads the bases... Ground-out ends inning... Bama loads the bases in the top of the sixth with two out... K ends the threat... LSU expands lead on Georgia Clark's two-run shot in bottom of sixth ( video ), 13-6... It's a final... Bama starter Montana Fouts with a tough outing, lasting

 Teams compiling the best records against the toughest competition in last weekend's Mary Nutter Classic were as follows: Oklahoma (5-0 and 15-0 on the season) with wins over Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach, Arizona, Tennessee, and Utah. The win over the Vols was very tight, however, 9-8 in 10 innings . UCLA (5-0) with wins over Iowa State, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Baylor, and Missouri. Tough-luck Tennessee also took UCLA to extra innings, losing to the Bruins 2-1 in eight . Oregon State (5-0) with wins over Tennessee, Baylor, Cal State Northridge, Southern Utah, and UC San Diego. Missouri (4-1) with wins over Oregon, Texas Tech, San Diego State, and Washington, and a loss to UCLA. Washington was a bit of a disappointment, posting a 2-3 record with wins over Loyola Marymount and Iowa State and losses to San Diego Stage, Mizzou, and Northwestern. One last team I wanted to mention is Texas Tech, where I'm on the faculty. In the preceding weekend's St.Pete/Clearwater E