ROUND 1: ALABAMA 6, UCLA 3
Jocelyn Briski began impressively by striking out two hitters and forcing a pop out from a third (though she appeared to have strike three on her as well).
Jena Young and Brooke Wells led off the bottom of the first inning with singles. Marlie Giles drove in a run with a base hit to put her team ahead after two outs.
Two additional Bruins whiffed in the second. With one out in the third inning, a Bruin snapped the no-hitter with a line drive down into the left field corner. The following hitter smashed a sky-high pop-up, causing catcher Giles and first baseman Wells to collide, resulting in a bloody lip for the Tide first baseman. Briski was initially struggling to keep control following a halt to tend to her. The Tide ace surrendered back-to-back homers to UCLA, putting the Bruins up 3-1. But then, just as quickly, Briski reclaimed it and began mowing down the competition.
Bama left. Young was caught at third base in the third inning and put two runners on base in the fourth, but had nothing to show for it. However, they were hitting the ball extremely hard.
Young walked to first base for the third time in a row in the fifth inning. Who else but Alexis Pupillo sparked Bama back into contention? She tied the game with a hit over the right field wall.
With two outs in the same inning, Giles hit and Audrey Vandagriff doubled. Ambrey Taylor scorched a ball, but unfortunately, it flew right to the left fielder.
In the sixth inning, Kristen White hit a slap single and Young recorded her third hit. Wells stepped up to the plate and stroked a three-run homer to give the Tide a three-point lead.
Briski (24-3) had one terrible stretch, but rebounded with nine strikeouts against the country’s best offense.
NOTES:
Alabama batters were obviously instructed to take a pitch at 3-0 in at least two plate appearances early in the game, only to see the pitch go right down the middle. This Bama squad is unlike others. It would be better if Patrick Murphy trusted his hitters and let them hit away. The Crimson Tide hitters only drew two walks, according to reports.
Alabama had two instances when players clashed while attempting to catch a fly ball. This deep into the season, there should be no communication problems. This is first-day information. Someone needs to take control, and the fielders need to scream out their “I got it”! The announcers attempted to dismiss it due to stadium noise, but this game was no louder than contests at Rhoads or on the road against most SEC clubs.
While the UCLA dugout appeared to be quite loud, the Alabama bench appeared to be strangely quiet for a while. Pupillo’s home run startled the team and rallied everyone up.
Similar to the Super Regional, Alabama had greater success at the plate when they struck early in the count.
Briski struck a batter in the seventh inning, but no clear replays were shown. The batter appeared to make no effort to escape out of the way.
Abby Duchscherer, Larissa Preuitt, and Lauren Johnson were late-game defensive replacements.
As a team, the Tide have hit 99 home runs this season, bringing them five shy of matching the single-season record of 104 set in 2010.
Alabama is currently 55-7.
Assuming Wikipedia is accurate, Patrick Murphy now has 1,400 career wins, including his single season as head coach at Northwest Missouri State.
MVPs
WELLS: 2-4, 1 RUN, 3 RBI, blasted the ball hard in one out.
PUP: 1-4, 1 RUN, HR, 2 RBI, and woke up the team.
YOUNG: 3-3, 3 runs, 1 BB, on-base all four plate appearances, a perfect game from a leadoff hitter.
BRISKI: 7. 0 Inn, 6 hits, 3 runs allowed, 9 K, 0 BB, WIN
PUNCH MOTEN – IYKYK
ALABAMA’S UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Alabama will meet the winner of Arkansas-Nebraska on Saturday, May 30th, at 6/7 p. m. ET on ESPN.
UCLA will play the loser of the Arkansas-Nebraska game at 6 p. m. /7 p. m. on ESPN2 on Sunday, May 31.
THE REST OF THE FIELD
Tennessee 6, Texas 3
Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0.
ESPN2 broadcasts Arkansas vs. Nebraska.
HOW TO SEE… ACCORDINGLY
ESPN and streaming. Hopefully, Kevin Brown and Amanda Scarborough will return.
