OKLAHOMA CITY — Alabama evened the Women’s College World Series finals at a game apiece thanks to a pair of four-run innings, but they had to survive a scare to hold off Oklahoma 8-6 to set up a decisive Game 3 on Wednesday.
The Crimson Tide trailed 1-0 after the first inning but scored four times in both the 2nd and 4th with Jackie Traina and Amanda Locke striking the biggest blows. Traina and Locke each cleared the bases with three-run doubles. Alabama’s rallies were aided by errors and the wildness of Sooners starter Keilani Ricketts, who walked one batter and hit another five in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Alabama managed just 4 hits for the game, but scored 8 runs.
The Crimson Tide’s 8-1 advantage held until the bottom of the 7th, when the Sooners came roaring back with five runs. But Traina was able to regain her composure and close out the victory to set up a winner-take-all finale on Wednesday night.
Kevin Kugler and Leah Amico called the action on the Westwood One Radio Network.
(Oklahoma takes a 1-0 lead in the first on Jessica Shults’s RBI single)
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(Jennifer Fenton knocks in a run to tie the game at 1)
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(Jackie Traina clears the bases with a 2nd-inning double)
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(Kaila Hunt’s sac fly makes it 5-1 Crimson Tide)
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(Amanda Locke’s double drives in three runs in the 4th)
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(Jessica Shults’s homer cuts the Tide’s lead to 8-5)
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(Traina strikes out the final batter to end the 7th and even the WCWS)
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(Jackie Traina’s postgame interview with Kevin and Leah)
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(Kevin Kugler and Leah Amico recap game 2 and look ahead to game 3)
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Kevin Kugler and Leah Amico will have all of the action of Game 3 of the championship series on Wednesday night at 7:45 PM Eastern. You’ll be able to hear every pitch on a local affiliate near you, streaming right here on WestwoodOneSports.com and on NCAA.com, and on the Slacker Mobile app for iOS and Android. For more information on Slacker, click here. The game will also be broadcast on SiriusXM channel 91.