UCLA Softball Faces Top-Seed Oklahoma in Elimination Game After Loss to 'Bama, 6-0

After the Bruins couldn't buy a hit last night off of Alabama's Montana Fouts,who threw a perfect game, UCLA faces elimination today against the Sooners.

(Photo Credit: Jazmine Sosa/uclabruins.com)

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The #2 seed UCLA softball team will face the #1 Oklahoma Sooners this afternoon in an elimination game at the Women’s College World Series after the Bruins lost to Alabama yesterday by a score of 6-0. First pitch for today’s game is scheduled for 4 pm PT and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Last Time Out

Unfortunately, last night’s game against Alabama was basically over before the Bruins ever got to bat. Rachel Garcia began the game giving up a single followed by an RBI double which put the Crimson Tide ahead, 1-0. An one out RBI single put Bama up 2-0 after just half an inning.

Meanwhile, Montana Fouts threw a perfect game, pitching seven innings and striking out 14 without allowing a Bruin baserunner.

It’s hard to win when you can’t get any runners on base and that’s exactly what happened last night.

Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners come into today’s elimination game having lost their first game to upstart James Madison on Thursday.

Then, this morning, Oklahoma defeated Georgia 8-0 in a mercy-rule-shortened six inning game. That sets up this afternoon’s clash between the two teams which have been at the top of the college softball rankings all season long.

Personally, I’ve felt that the Sooners were overrated and that the Bruins should have been ranked and seeded first all along because UCLA has played a much tougher schedule in the Pac-12 Conference.

But, there is little doubt going into today’s game that the absence of Megan Faraimo will loom large. That absence means the Bruins lack their 1-2 punch in the circle. If Rachel Garcia has another bad day, UCLA is coming home without the title most Bruin fans expected this team to win. Even if she has a much better day today than she had last night, Faraimo’s absence means that Garcia will need to throw two good games tomorrow against James Madison and we all know what happened when she had to throw two games on Sunday in Oklahoma City against Florida State in 2018.

But, that’s getting ahead of ourselves a little.

Today, the Bruins need to survive and advance.

Saturday, June 5

Game 9: UCLA vs. Oklahoma at 4:00 pm PT on ESPN
Game 10: Oklahoma State vs. Arizona/Florida State at 6:30 pm PT on ESPN

Sunday, June 6

Game 11: Game 5 winner vs. Game 9 winner at 10:00 am PT on ESPN
Game 12: Game 6 winner vs. Game 10 winner at 12:30 pm PT on ESPN
Game 13: Game 11 teams (if necessary), 4:00 pm PT on ESPN
Game 14: Game 12 teams (if necessary), 6:30 pm PT on ESPN

Championship Finals

Game 1: 4:30 pm PT, Monday, June 7 on ESPN
Game 2: 4:30 pm PT, Tuesday, June 8 on ESPN
Game 3 (if necessary): 4:00 pm PT, Wednesday, June 9 on ESPN

Women’s College World Series

Game #9

Teams: #2 seed UCLA Bruins (47-5) vs. #1 seed Oklahoma Sooners (51-7)
When: 4:00 pm PT, Friday, June 5, 2021
Where: USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, Oklahoma City, OK
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
NCAA.com

Game Notes:
UCLA
Oklahoma

NCAA Bracket


Go Bruins!!!

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