Alabama softball vs Texas Tech, WCWS score, recap, highlights today

“Not with a bang, but with a whimper.”

That’s a pretty fitting way to describe Alabama’s offense tonight. Canady gave up a two-out double to Audrey Vandagriff but finished off a shutout by getting Ambrey Taylor on a fly ball to right.

Texas Tech beats Alabama, 2-0, to advance to the WCWS finals. A great season by Alabama with many highs and a lot of fun will end with the Crimson Tide going home after starting the NCAA Tournament 7-0.

The score is bad, but it could be worse after Texas Tech loaded the bases with one out. Moten struck out Burns and retired Kaitlyn Terry on a groundout to second base.

Alabama needs two runs to tie it and three to walk it off. Marlie Giles will lead off the seventh for Alabama.

Alabama’s season is very much on the brink here. A run is already in after Lauren Allred singled and Davis scored on a throwing error by Kristen White.

Now the Red Raiders have the bases loaded with only one out in the top of the seventh. Jasmyn Burns, who has already homered once tonight, is batting with a chance to put this one out of reach.

Alabama came into the day knowing it would have to lose twice to be eliminated from the Women’s College World Series. They’re three outs away from that happening after NiJaree Canady makes it six scoreless innings.

Silver linings? Not many, but Brooke Wells just missed a game-tying home run that inning, and Alexis Pupillo put some of the best contact Alabama has had on any swings tonight in a deep at bat before popping out.

Canary has thrown 91 pitches through her six innings of one-hit ball. Vic Moten will try to keep it a 1-0 deficit with Mia Williams leading off the seventh for Texas Tech.

Texas Tech strands two more base runners after Moten gets Spearman on a fly ball to center. That’s eight left on base by the Red Raiders through six innings.

It feels like a much bigger lead than 1-0, but it is 1-0 regardless. Kristen White, Jena Young and Brooke Wells are due in the sixth inning for Alabama.

It’s freshman Vic Moten taking over in the circle for Jocelyn Briski in the sixth inning. Back-to-back singles by Taylor Pannell and Jasmy Burns have the Red Raiders threatening to take a big lead here. They have runners at first and second with no one out.

Briski allowed a base hit in all six innings of work.

No other way to put it. Alabama’s bats simply look ineffective against NiJaree Canady through five. She struck out two batters and retired Salen hawkins on a weak groundout for a 1-2-3 inning. Alabama has mustered only one hit through five innings.

The Tide will look to keep it a one-run game with Taylor Pannell leading off for Texas Tech. Red Raiders on top, 1-0.

Mihyia Davis doubled with one out and advanced to third after Briski opted for the sure out at first on a ground ball back to the circle. But the Alabama ace retired Jackie Lis on a groundout to Salen Hawkins to strand another runner.

That’s now six left on base by Texas Tech, which is 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Briski and the defense behind her are making it possible for Alabama’s bats to crawl back into this game. Audrey Vandagriff, Ambrey Taylor and Hawkins are due up in the fifth for the Tide, who thus far have only one hit tonight.

Texas Tech leads, 1-0.

I’m afraid to say it, but if Alabama’s bats have something in them tonight, they need to show it soon. Canady walked Marlie Giles with one out, but it was otherwise another solid inning by the Red Raiders’ starter. She’s allowed just two runners to reach base through four innings.

Alabama trails, 1-0, entering the fifth.

Burns took Briski deep to straightaway center field on the first pitch of the fourth inning for a 1-0 Texas Tech lead. Alabama’s ace threw less than 10 pitches that inning but it’s the Red Raiders who strike first.

Texas Tech and pitcher NiJaree Canady have to be feeling pretty good at this point.

Salen Hawkins singled for Alabama’s first hit of the night against Canady. Kristen White stole second base with two down, but Canady retired Jena Young on a fly ball to center field.

Alabama 0, Texas Tech 0 as we head to the fourth inning at Devon Park.

Mia Williams, who ended Game 1 with a walk-off homer, is 2-for-2 in Game 2 after leading off the third inning with a single to left center. Briski missed inside on a pitch that hit Davis to put two on with nobody out.

But she struck out Jackie Lis with a rise ball in the zone for the second out. Following a visit by Patrick Murphy after Briski fell behind 2-1 in the count, she got Taylor Pannell to pop up to second base to escape another jam.

Alabama and Briski are living dangerously. She’s allowed four hits but Texas Tech has left five on base through three innings. The game remains scoreless headed to the bottom of the third.

Pretty effective start by Canady, who has thrown only 23 pitches through two innings. She has three strikeouts and hasn’t let a ball leave the infield thus far in Game 2.

Briski will face the top of the Texas Tech lineup — Mia Williams, Mihyia Davis and Lauren Allred — in the third. She’s looking for her third scoreless inning but her first 1-2-3 after allowing three hits in her first two innings of work.

Scoreless from OKC.

Freshman Ambrey Taylor made a terrific play on a slow-roller to third to throw out Jasmyn Burns. Briski gave up her third hit of the game on a sharp single to Kaitlyn Terry with one out. She rallied to strike out Hailey Toney on a beautiful drop ball before Lagi Quiroga, making her first plate appearance of the day, grounded to second after working the count full.

Briski has thrown 33 pitches through two innings in Game 2. Can Alabama’s bats get something going off NiJaree Canady? Marlie Giles, Ana Roman and Audrey Vandagriff are due up for the Tide.

Alabama and Texas Tech are scoreless.

Not a lot of contact by Alabama to start the game. Canady closed the inning with a strikeout of Pupillo for a 1-2-3 first. She needed 13 pitches to retire the side. Jasmyn Burns, Kaitlyn Terry and Hailey Toney are due up for Texas Tech in the second inning against Jocelyn Briski.

Scoreless after one inning in Game 2.

Some hard contact right away by Mia Williams and Lauren Allred in particular, but Briski got Taylor Pannell to ground out to end the inning and strand two runners. Young, Wells and Pupillo will lead off the bottom of the first for Alabama, which could really benefit from a fast start at the plate here.

Two-hard hit balls already this inning against Briski by Texas Tech hitters. Games are seldom settled in the first inning, but I think Alabama has to come out and win the first inning after the way Game 1 ended.

Alabama will take the field in some different threads than Game 1: the ones we saw in the WCWS opener against UCLA (seen below).

First pitch between the Tide and Red Raiders is five minutes away. Winner gets Texas starting Wednesday night. Jocelyn Briski in the circle for Alabama against NiJaree Canady.

The Crimson Tide are the designated home team for Game 2.

Jocelyn Briski will make her second start of the night for Alabama, which will be the designated home team in Game 2. Despite some obvious struggles in Game 1, Briski entered the day with a 1.35 ERA that’s fifth best nationally.

NiJaree Canady will start in the circle for Texas Tech.

First pitch will be at 9:09 p.m. CT. Game 2 will be televised on ESPN.

That didn’t take long. Mia Williams crushed a pitch by Vic Moten to left for a no-doubt shot to win it for the Red Raiders, 5-4.

Alabama and Texas Tech will play a winner-take-all elimination game in half an hour.

A 10-pitch at bat between Alexis Pupillo and NiJaree Canady ended with an infield single to put the go-ahead run on base for Alabama, but Canady got Marlie Giles to ground out to third.

Texas Tech will look to walk it off and force a second game tonight in OKC. The top of the order — Mia Williams, Mihyla Davis, and Lauren Allred — are due up for the Red Raiders.

The Crimson Tide and Red Raiders are tied, 4-4.

Kristen White reached on a throwing error from Hailey Toney at third with one down. Down to her last strike, Jena Young LAUNCHED a two-run homer off Kaitlyn Terry to right. It was a no-doubt shot, and it was Young’s seventh homer of the year. She now has 13 hits since the NCAA Tournament began.

Just like that, Alabama and Texas Tech are tied at Devon Park. Canady will reenter the game in the circle for the Red Raiders.

Take a look at Young’s home run. Just… wow.

Vic Moten tosses a 1-2-3 sixth inning, finishing it off with a strikeout of Canady. She’s thrown 43 pitches in 2 2/3 innings and has four strikeouts.

Alabama needs two runs to tie it and three to take the lead or else the Tide and Red Raiders will play a Game 2 tonight. Mari Hubbard will pinch hit to lead off the seventh.

Ana Roman singled with one out in the sixth, but nothing else doing for Alabama’s bats these last two innings. The Crimson Tide trail, 4-2, heading to the bottom of the sixth inning. Three more outs, and Texas Tech would force a winner-take-all Game 2 in Oklahoma City.

Moten got two quick outs on three pitches but issued a walk to Jackie Lis on five pitches and fell behind 2-0 on Taylor Pannell. The Red Raiders’ third baseman homered just out of the reach of Audrey Vandagriff’s glove against the wall in left field to put Texas Tech on top, 4-2.

It looked like Vandagriff had a play but Pannell got just enough on the ball to sneak it past her glove. Not a big enough leap by Vandagriff. Moten struck out Kaitlyn Terry for the third out.

Marlie Giles, Ana Roman and Vandagriff are due up for Alabama in the sixth inning. The Tide will have to come from behind to avoid a Game 2.

Nothing doing for Alabama in the fifth, though Terry plunked Brooke Wells with a pitch off the top of her helmet with two down. Alexis Pupillo struck out swinging to retire the side.

The 2-3-4 spots in the order are due up for the Red Raiders off Alabama’s Vic Moten: Mihyia Davis, Lauren Allred and Jackie Lis. Alabama and Texas Tech remained tied, 2-2.

A fiery Moten struck out NiJaree Canady on a drop ball for a big second out. Two of the best players in the game are making the tension rise a bit inside Devon Park. Moten followed by freezing Mia Williams on a called third strike to end the inning.

Alabama and Texas Tech are tied, 2-2, headed to the fifth inning from OKC. Kristen White, Jena Young and Brooke Wells are due up for the Tide, who are making their third turn through the batting order tonight.

Patrick Murphy is bringing in freshman Vic Moten after Briski struggled with some command in the fourth.

Briski gave up her first walk of the Women’s College World Series with one out when she walked Jasmyn Burns on four pitches. She threw seven straight out of the strike zone before Hailey Toney smoked a single back up the middle for the sixth hit of the night off Briski.

After Briski fell behind 1-0 on Canady, Murphy made the pitching change. This is Moten’s first appearance in the WCWS.

What was it Buddy Ryan famously said about Cris Carter? “All he does is catch touchdowns.”

Well, all Marlie Giles has done the past two games in this Women’s College Series is hit home runs. She just hit her second in as many games, and her fourth at the WCWS in three years. Her eighth blast of the season came against NiJaree Canady to lead off the fourth inning.

Kaitlyn Perry is back in the circle for Texas Tech as the Red Raiders’ game of musical chairs between the two pitchers continues. Alabama and Texas Tech are tied, 2-2, heading to the bottom of the fourth.

Take a look at this blast by Giles.

Briski retired Mia Williams and Mihyia Davis for two quick outs with no trouble, but Lauren Allred put a terrific swing on the ball for a solo home run to the opposite field in left to put Texas Tech on top, 2-1. Jackie Lis followed with a single back up the middle. Briski then struck out Taylor Pannell to end the inning.

Briski has allowed five hits through three innings tonight. She’s thrown 44 pitches. Alabama will have to come from behind to avoid a winner-take-all Game 2.

Kristen White flared a leadoff single to left, but Canady rallied for back-to-back strikeouts of Young and Wells before retiring Pupillo on a groundout to second base.

Canady is getting a bunch of swings and misses so far. She has four strikeouts through two innings. Alabama and Texas Tech remained tied, 1-1, entering the bottom of the third inning.

The Red Raiders used back-to-back singles by Taylor Pannell and Kaitlyn Perry with one out. Briski got Jasmyn Burns on a fly out to left, but Hailey Toney broke the tie with an RBI double down the right field line.

Per ESPN, opposing batters had been 0-for-15 against Briski with runners in scoring position in the NCAA Tournament before Toney’s game-tying swing. Desirae Spearman pinch hit and put a good swing into one but flied out to center.

Briski gave up three hits and threw 17 pitches that inning. Alabama and Texas Tech are tied at 1-1 entering the third. Kristen White, Jena Young and Brooke Wells are due up for the Tide against NiJaree Canady.

Audrey Vandagriff lifted an RBI sac fly to center to score Marlie Giles for the game’s first run. Ana Roman tagged and made it third. Canady rallied to strike out Ambrey Taylor for the second out and then used her rise ball to strike out Salen Hawkins.

Alabama leads it 1-0 heading to the bottom of the second inning.

Alabama got its first base runner when Marlie Giles made it 3-for-5 at the WCWS with a sharply hit single. The Crimson Tide then got aggressive when Ana Roman singled back up the middle. Giles went first to third on the throw and Roman slid safely into second base.

Texas Tech is already making a change in the circle. NiJaree Canady comes in with runners at second and third and no one out in the second inning. Audrey Vandagriff is at the plate for Alabama.

Briski went up with the rise ball to strike out Texas Tech’s leading home run hitter, Mia Williams, on three pitches to open the inning. Briski then froze Mihyia Davis with a drop ball for a called third strike for the second out. She went ahead 0-2 on Lauren Allred before freezing her with a drop ball on the inside corner.

Alabama’s ace is not messing around to start the night. She struck out the side and threw just 12 pitches in that first inning. Scoreless after one from OKC.

Young popped up to open the inning, which snapped a 5-for-5 streak to open the Women’s College World Series. Kaitlyn Perry struck out Wells for the second out, and Pupillo grounded to second to complete a 1-2-3 inning.

Perry threw 13 pitches in that first inning and got a lot of swings and misses. Mia Williams, Mihyia Davis and Lauren Allred are due up for Texas Tech against Alabama’s Jocelyn Briski.

Jena Young, Brooke Wells and Alexis Pupillo lead things off for Alabama against Texas Tech’s Kaitlyn Perry in the top of the first inning from OKC.

It’s sunny and HOT (93 degrees) at first pitch.

Alabama is wearing its alternate dark gray jerseys and matching pants with the retro logo on the left side of the jersey. Texas Tech is wearing all-red jerseys over matching pants.

Alabama is the designated visiting team and will bat first. First pitch is less than 10 minutes away from Oklahoma City.

Marty Abezetian is behind the plate to call the balls and strikes today at Devon Park. Mike Burwell is the third base umpire with Tatem Stoelting down at second base. Susan Eads will be making the decisions at first base.

Official first pitch time is listed as 6:06 p.m. CT.

Kaitlyn Perry is in the circle for the Red Raiders and is making her 27th start. She’s 24-2 with a 1.71 ERA and 169 strikeouts to 34 walks in 143 2/3 innings. Her 1.71 ERA ranks 13th best nationally while Briski’s 1.35 mark for Alabama ranks fifth.

Perry also has a .443/.539/.724 slash line with 10 home runs and 16 doubles at the plate. Here’s the full 1-9 lineup for coach Gerry Glasco’s team.

Briski is indeed in the circle for Alabama to start the day. This will be the third start in as many games at the Women’s College World Series for the SEC Pitcher of the Year.

One small change to Patrick Murphy’s lineup: Marlie Giles moves into the cleanup spot as freshman Ana Roman slides down to the No. 5 spot. Giles had the big three-run homer off Jordy Frahm in the first inning Saturday against Nebraska and finished with four RBIs.

Here’s the full 1-9 lineup for the Tide.

With a win over Texas Tech today, Alabama would face the Texas Longhorns in the best-of-three championship series at the Women’s College World Series. Texas defeated Tennessee twice Monday to advance to the WCWS finals for the third straight season.

The Crimson Tide and Longhorns met four times earlier this season. Alabama took two of three from Texas in the regular-season series at Rhoads Stadium in early April. The Longhorns prevailed in a 7-1 win over the Tide in the SEC Tournament’s championship game on May 9.

The Alabama-Texas Tech game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. CT Monday from Devon Park in Oklahoma City. Game 2, if necessary, would start at approximately 8:30 p.m.