UCLA-ARKANSAS
Bruins (the visitors) go quickly in T1... Likewise for Hogs in their half... T2, Aleena Garcia's leadoff homer to center gives UCLA a 1-0 lead... After first out recorded, HBP and single give Bruins runners at first and second for Iowa transfer Soo-Jin Berry... Berry goes oppo to left for three-run homer, making it 4-0 Bruins. A "Berry Bombshell" if you will (which is a drink at Keva Juice)... Razorback left-fielder Kailey Wyckoff appears to lose her mitt over the fence, but presumably she will not be required to play the rest of the game bare-handed...
Pitching change for Arkansas, with Saylor Timmerman coming in... Walk for UCLA... Another walk and then Megan Grant unloads to center -- deep into the bleachers -- for her NCAA single-season record 42nd homer and a 7-0 UCLA lead... It's 9-0 before Arkansas can record a third out... B2, Tinsley struggling a little, allowing Arkansas runners at first and second after two were out and a 3-1 count on the next batter... Walk to load the bases... Easy, shallow fly to left to end the inning... T3, UCLA with bases loaded for Bri Alejandre with two outs... Wild pitch advances each runner a base, 10-0 Bruins... K to end half-inning... T5, Jolyna Lamar with leadoff solo homer to make it 11-0 UCLA... B5, Arkansas in run-rule danger, needing four runs to keep this game going (an eight-run or larger margin after five innings ends the game)... Razorbacks retired scoreless, ending the game... UCLA stays alive in WCWS, Arkansas is out...
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Pregame notes: With the Bruins' Taylor Tinsley appearing to tire toward the end of last night's loss to Alabama, one might wonder who else UCLA has available to pitch. The answer is: No one with much experience. Whereas Tinsley has thrown 221 innings this season, the next closest amount is 67 2/3 innings by Natalie Cable. Also, whereas Tinsley has a 3.14 ERA, the next best on the team is 5.74 by Brynne Nally... Payton Burnham shown warming up in the Arkansas bullpen, so it looks like she'll start after sharing duties with Robyn Herron in last night's extra-inning loss to Nebraska...
TEXAS-MISSISSIPPI STATE
Texas (the visitors) and Mississippi State underway in tonight's first elimination game. Delainey Everett pitching for MSU... Horns go quietly in T1, bringing up Bulldogs in B1 to face Teagan Kavan... MSU with two-out double, but nothing comes of it... T2, Kaiah Altmeyer, a name I don't recall hearing this postseason, blasts two-run homer to give Texas 2-0 lead... T3, Longhorns threatening again with runners on second and third with one out... K for second out... Fly to center for third out, still 2-0 Texas... T5, Horns tack on a run via a Kayden Henry homer, now lead 3-0... Bulldogs down quietly in B5... T6, Texas with runners on first and second with none out... Pop-up for first out... HBP loads bases for Altmeyer... Infield grounder leads to force at the plate... Kaydee Bennett coming up with two outs... Grounds into force-out at second, still 3-0 Texas... T7, now 4-0 Longhorns... B7, MSU down to its final three outs to remain in the WCWS... Leadoff runner aboard... Sharp single to center gives the Bulldogs runners on first and second with none out... Texas meeting in the circle, Citlaly Guitierrez warming up in the bullpen, but Kavan stays in... Easy bloop to 2B-person for first out... Foul out near stands on 3B/LF side for second out... MSU down to last strike... K to end the game. Texas stays alive.
Bulldogs shut out for second straight game (8-0 to Texas Tech, 4-0 to Texas). It looks like Mississippi State left it all on the field in Norman last week, as the Bulldogs shocked Oklahoma in the super-regionals. That's what we want teams to do, but MSU just couldn't recover.