Thursday, May 30
Oklahoma City, OK
9:00 AM
UCLA
43-10
4
vs
1
Alabama
38-19
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Alabama
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
6
1
UCLA
0
0
1
0
0
3
X
4
4
0
Jordan Woolery
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
Woolery Powers UCLA to 4-1 Win Over Alabama in WCWS Opener
May 30, 2024 | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITYย โ Sophomore first basemanย Jordan Wooleryย belted a decisive three-run home run in the sixth inning as the No. 6-seeded UCLA softball team recorded a 4-1 win over No. 14-seeded Alabama on Thursday afternoon in the opening game of the 2024 Women's College World Series at Devon Park.
Highlightsย
Press Conference
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Bruin pitchersย Kaitlyn Terryย andย Taylor Tinsleyย combined to allow just one run to the Crimson Tide (38-19). Terry put up four consecutive zeroes to start the game before being lifted after a leadoff single in the fifth, and Tinsley finished off the final three innings without an earned run against, including a 1-2-3 top of the seventh following Woolery's go-ahead homer.
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Redshirt senior shortstopย Maya Bradyย laid the foundation for that decisive sixth-inning rally, leading off the frame with a ground single deep into the hole at shortstop. She quickly moved into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by Jadelyn Allchin, and the Bruins got another runner aboard after redshirt senior catcherย Sharlize Palaciosย was intentionally walked.
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Two batters later, Woolery unloaded on a 1-1, two-out offering from Alabama pitcher Kayla Beaver, sending it halfway up the bleachers in left field to put the Bruins ahead for good.
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"It comes down to critical moments," said Kelly Inouye-Perez, the Shelly Carlin UCLA Head Softball Coach. "I always say the game has a sick sense of humor. Jordan [Woolery] had an opportunity early in the game. It didn't pay her back in that moment. That's one thing that makes Jordan very special. It's kind of crazy those situations. It was familiar territory. She stepped in and was ready for that next at-bat."
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UCLA never trailed in the contest, opening the scoring with a single run in the third. Three consecutive Bruins reached base to account for that run, as redshirt senior center fielderย Janelle Meoñoย reached on a one-out HBP before coming across after back-to-back singles through the right side from Brady and graduate left fielderย Jadelyn Allchin.
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Alabama knotted the score back up at 1-1 on a bases-loaded single in the fifth, but sophomore right fielderย Megan Grantย threw out Alabama's Kali Heivilin โ who tried to score from second on the same play โ to limit the damage at one run and prevent the Crimson Tide from grabbing the lead. Prior to that final out in the top of the sixth, Tinsley loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk and found herself down in a 3-0 count with one out to the next batter, Lauren Johnson. After a mound visit with Palacios, Tinsley fired in back-to-back strikes and induced a weak pop up to Seneca Curo at second base to avoid significant damage.
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Terry kept Alabama at bay over the first half of the game, allowing a baserunner in each her first four frames but never allowing the Crimson Tide to get a runner past first over that same span. She got an assist from Palacios in the fourth, as she threw out Marlie Giles trying to steal second after a one-out walk in the fourth.
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Tinsley followed by stranding a runner at second to preserve the tie in the sixth, and then retired the side in order to seal the win in the seventh. Allchin started off that 1-2-3 inning with a highlight-reel catch against the padding in foul territory down the left field line.
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UCLA returns to action at the WCWS on Saturday at 12 p.m. PT on ABC, facing the winner of Thursday's matchup against (2) Oklahoma and (10) Duke.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tinsley, Taylor (18-8)
L: Beaver (18-10)
Batting:
RBI: Cahalan 1
SH: Esman 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pate 1
CS: Giles 1
HBP: Giles 1
Batting:
HR: Woolery, Jordan 1
RBI: Allchin, Jadelyn 1 ; Woolery, Jordan 3
SH: Allchin, Jadelyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brady, Maya 1 ; Hatch, Lauren 1 ; Woolery, Jordan 1 ; Meoño, Janelle 1
HBP: Meoño, Janelle 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P/OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
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