Jordan Woolery delivered a three-run home run in the sixth inning to lift UCLA to a 4-1 win over Alabama in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The Bruins (43-10) will take on the Oklahoma-Duke winner Saturday while the Crimson Tide (38-19) will play the Oklahoma-Duke loser in an elimination game Friday.
UCLA’s offense was held mostly in check by Alabama starter Kayla Beaver until the sixth when Maya Brady led off with a single.
The Crimson Tide opted to intentionally walk Sharlize Palacios before Beaver struck out Megan Grant for the second out.
But Woolery turned on Beaver’s 1-1 offering, belting it over the left-field wall to break the tie.
UCLA’s only two other hits came in the third, with Janelle Meono scoring from second on Jadelyn Allchin’s single to right.
Alabama had runners on base in each of the first four innings but couldn’t scratch across a run until finally breaking through in the fifth.
Kenleigh Cahalan delivered a two-out, bases-loaded single to right to tie it. Alabama coach Patrick Murphy sent Kali Heivilin as well but Grant threw out Heivilin at the plate to end the inning.
Taylor Tinsley threw three scoreless innings to end the game and earn the victory.
-Field Level Media