OKLAHOMA CITY–– Two of the most familiar faces to the Women's College World Series open up play in Oklahoma City for the 2024 event.
No. 14 Alabama takes on No. 6 UCLA in the first game of the event. The last time the two teams faced at the WCWS, former Crimson Tide pitcher Montana Fouts threw a perfect game, but the Bruins have dominated the series history overall.
Alabama is playing its best ball of the season after sweeping through regionals and upsetting No. 3 Tennessee in super regionals. UCLA has been one of the best teams in the country for the last half of the season, winning the Pac-12 regular season and tournament title.
Follow along for updates on BamaCentral throughout Thursday's game.
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(latest updates at the top)
FINAL: No. 6 UCLA 4, Alabama 1
Top 7- Alabama
- White flies out to shallow center. That's ballgame. UCLA wins.
- Heivilin strikes out on three pitches. Two outs.
- Allchin makes a nice catch up against the wall in the foul territory of left field for the first out.
- Esman, Heivilin and White due up for the Tide, needing at least three runs to extend a game.
END 6: UCLA 4, Alabama 1
Bottom 6- UCLA
- Ground ball retires the side, but UCLA takes the lead in the sixth.
- Woolery crushes a three-run home run to left field to give UCLA the lead. UCLA 4, Alabama 1
- Beaver gets Grant to strike out looking for a big second out.
- With first base open, Alabama will intentionally walk Palacios.
- Sac bunt moves Brady into scoring position with one out.
- Infield single deep in the hole for Brady to start off the inning. Last time she reached as a leadoff runner, UCLA scored.
- Top of the lineup due up for the Bruins.
MID 6: Alabama 1, UCLA 1
Top 6- Alabama
- Tinsley gets Dowling swinging on the changeup. Giles is left stranded at second.
- Dowling, a senior, has an opportunity to come through with two outs here. She already has two hits today.
- Valentine flies out to center field. Two outs.
- Giles moves into scoring position on a wild pitch.
- Giles is hit by a pitch to give the Tide a one-out baserunner, 10th time this season she's been HBP.
- Johnson pops up on the infield. One out.
- Jenna Johnson, Giles and Valentine due up for Alabama.
END 5: Alabama 1, UCLA 1
Bottom 5- UCLA
- Beaver is only at 51 pitches through five innings.
- Three up, three down with three groundouts for the Bruins in the bottom of the fifth.
MID 5: Alabama 1, UCLA 1
Top 5- Alabama
- After review, the call on the field stands, and Heivilin is out at the plate to end the frame.
- Cahalan singles into right field. Pate comes in to score to tie it up, but Heivilin is thrown out at the plate trying to give the Tide the lead. Alabama 1, UCLA 1
- Alabama's hopes in the inning come down to Cahalan.
- Tinsley throws seven straight balls and falls behind Lauren 3-0, but Johnson ends up popping up on a 3-2 count. Two outs.
- White draws a four-pitch walk to load the bases with one out for Lauren Johnson.
- Bloop single for Heivilin puts runners on first and second for White.
- Esman lays down a sac bunt to move Pate into scoring position with one out.
- UCLA will make a pitching change. Taylor Tinsley comes in to pitch for the Bruins. It will be a different look for the Alabama hitters to adjust to as Tinsley is a RHP.
- Dowling hits one hard up the middle for an infield single to give Alabama its first leadoff runner of the game. Dowling has two hits. Kinley Pate comes in to pinch run for Dowling.
- Dowling, Esman and Heivilin due up for Alabama.
END 4: UCLA 1, Alabama 0
Bottom 4- UCLA
- Ground ball to third for the final out. Quick 1-2-3 inning in the circle for Beaver.
- Woolery strikes out swinging. Two outs.
- Another groundout for Beaver goes for the first out.
MID 4: UCLA 1, Alabama 0
Top 4- Alabama
- Valentine goes down swinging. Side retired.
- Giles is caught stealing at second for the second out. On TV it looked like she was safe, but Alabama did not challenge the play.
- Giles draws a four-pitch walk. First free pass allowed by Terry.
- Jenna Johnson flies out to left field. One out.
- Heart of the lineup (Jenna, Giles and Valentine) due up for the Tide.
END 3: UCLA 1, Alabama 0
Bottom 3- UCLA
- Huge play by Beaver in the field. She turns a double play on a ball back to her to get out of the inning.
- Runners on the corners with one out.
- Allchin also singles through the right side. Lauren Johnson bobbles the ball in right field, and the lead runner scores. UCLA 1, Alabama 0
- Brady singles through the right side for the Bruins' first base hit. Runners on first and second with one out.
- Meoño is hit by a pitch to give the Bruins a one-out baserunner.
- Beaver picks up where she left off with another ground ball. One out.
- Malau'ulu, Meoño and Brady due up for the Bruins.
MID 3: Alabama 0, UCLA 0
Top 3- Alabama
- Cahalan chops one to shortstop, but is thrown out. Alabama is scoreless through three innings.
- Lauren Johnson singles to right field to give Alabama a two-out baserunner.
- White grounds out to the right side. Two outs.
- Heivilin flies out to shallow right field.
- Heivilin, White and Lauren Johnson due up for the Crimson Tide.
END Alabama 0, UCLA 0
Bottom 2- UCLA
- Beaver retires the side on six pitches with three ground balls in the second inning.
- Ball back to Beaver on the first pitch is the second out.
- Ground ball to shortstop goes for the first out.
- Woolery, Pola and Curo due up for UCLA.
MID 2: Alabama 0, UCLA 0
Top 2- Alabama
- Esman flies out to center field to end the half inning.
- Two-out bloop single for Dowling.
- Valentine flies out to left field. Two outs.
- Giles goes down swinging to open the frame.
- Giles, Valentine and Dowling due up for the Tide in the second.
END 1: Alabama 0, UCLA 0
Bottom 1- UCLA batting
- Popup ends the frame, stranding the runner in scoring position.
- Big second out for Beaver as she gets Palacios to strike out swinging.
- Allchin moves into scoring position on a passed ball. Alabama is showing some nerves in the field early on.
- Allchin hits one hard back to Beaver, who gets the lead runner at second.
- Maya Brady strikes out swinging, but she reaches first base on the wild pitch.
- Lauren Johnson stays in the game for Preuitt in right field.
MID 1: Alabama 0, UCLA 0
Top 1- Alabama batting
- Jenna Johnson flies out on the first pitch. Side retired. Alabama is scoreless in the first after scoring in the opening inning of all three games in Supers.
- Cahalan strikes out swinging. Two outs.
- Infield single up the middle for Preuitt that went off the leg of Terry in the circle. Preuitt gets looked at by Murphy and the athletic trainer, and she comes out of the game for Lauren Johnson to pinch run at first. I didn't quite see what happened to Preuitt on the play.
- White pops up a bunt on the first pitch. One out.
- White, Preuitt and Cahalan due up for the Tide.
Pregame/Weather Delay
- Starting lineups have been introduced, national anthem has been sung, and the coaches are exchanging lineups at the plate. We're finally about ready to play some softball in OKC!
- Alabama is the designated visiting team and will bat first.
- Alabama is wearing the all crimson uniforms with white socks. UCLA is wearing all white uniforms with blue socks.
- Kayla Beaver will start in the circle for the Crimson Tide. Overall, Patrick Murphy is sticking with the same starting lineup that worked for the Tide in Supers.
- Both teams are in the outfield warming up.
- New first pitch time is tentatively 12:36 CT. The game will still air on ESPN.
- 11:42- The tarp is coming off the field.
- 11:34- Still no update from the NCAA, but the grounds crew is huddled together on the field where the tarp remains. When the tarp does come off the field, there will be at least 30 minutes before the game starts because both teams will have to warm up.
- 11:15- More fans are filling in the stands now. There's just a very light rain falling right now, but I think the bigger concern is whether al the lightning has cleared.
- 11:06- Some sun has started peeking through a little bit, and they've once again let the fans filter back into the stands. There are still some ominous clouds looming over in left field.
- 10:48- Well, now it looks like they're making the fans leave the stands again.
- 10:46- Grounds crew is out on the field moving water off the tarp.
- 10:40- They've let fans start filling back into the stands.
- 10:30- Another big lightning bolt right over the stadium.
- 10:20- Just saw a strike of lightning right over the stadium. All fans have been cleared out of the stands.
- 10:12 update- A tarp has been placed on the field, and lightning has been detected in the area. The Alabama team just headed into the dugout.
- The Alabama team has arrived at the stadium.
- I spoke too soon. Rain has started to fall around 10:03 a.m.
- The skies are overcast at Devon Park, but hopefully the weather will hold off for this first game.
Alabama | UCLA |
|---|---|
1. Kristen White- CF | 1. Maya Brady- SS |
2. Larissa Preuitt- RF | 2. Jadelyn Allchin- LF |
3. Kenleigh Cahalan- SS | 3. Sharlize Palacios- C |
4. Jenna Johnson- LF | 4. Megan Grant- RF |
5. Marlie Giles- C | 5. Jordan Woolery- 1B |
6. Riley Valentine- DP | 6. Savannah Pola- DP |
7. Bailey Dowling- 3B | 7. Seneca Curo- 2B |
8. Lauren Esman- 1B | 8. Thessa Malau'ulu- 3B |
9. Kali Heivilin- 2B | 9. Janelle Meoño- CF |
P- Kayla Beaver | P- Kaitlyn Terry |
How to Watch: No. 14 Alabama vs. No. 6 UCLA
Who:Alabama (38-18) vs. UCLA (42-10)
When:Thursday, May 30, 11 a.m. CT
Where:Devon Park, Oklahoma City
TV:ESPN (Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe)
Radio:The Crimson Tide Sports Network on 97.5 FM in Tuscaloosa with Tom Canterbury and Gray Robertson on the call
Series history: UCLA leads, 11-1
Last meeting:The two teams last met in the 2023 Clearwater Invitational with the Bruins coming away with the 5-3 victory.
Last time out, Alabama:Riley Valentine hit a grand slam in the first inning of Game 3 in the Knoxville Super Regional. The four runs would be more than enough for Alabama's pitching duo of Jocelyn Briski and Kayla Beaver as the Crimson Tide won the final game over Tennessee 4-1 to advance to the WCWS.
Last time out, UCLA:The Bruins easily took care of No. 11 Georgia in Supers. UCLA run-ruled the Bulldogs, 8-0 in Game 1 and then won 6-1 in the second game.
Alabama leaders:
- Batting average: Kristen White- .313
- Home runs: Abby Duchscherer, Marlie Giles, Jenna Johnson, Kali Heivilin- 6
- RBIs: Abby Duchscherer- 30
- ERA: Kayla Beaver- 1.58
UCLA leaders:
- Batting average: Maya Brady- .431
- Home runs: Sharlize Palacios- 20
- RBIs: Maya Brady- 68
- ERA: Taylor Tinsley- 2.53
