OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Kentucky made things interesting at the WCWS with a furious seventh-inning rally, but Alabama managed to finish off a game it had controlled throughout in earning a hard-fought 2-0 victory over the ‘Cats on Friday night at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Crimson Tide starter Jaclyn Traina (25-3) carried a no-hitter into the sixth before settling for a four-hit shutout with two walks and six strikeouts. On the opposite side of things, Kentucky’s Kelsey Nunley dropped to 30-10 overall after permitting two earned runs on just three hits with two walks and five K’s.
First baseman Leona Lafaele provided the big blow for Alabama by blasting a two-run HR to left during the top of the second.
Box Score | Alabama Quotes | Kentucky Quotes | Notes
"Just an awesome game tonight," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "I thought it was a made-for-TV sporting event, the way it ended, the way it played out. Two really good teams with two really good pitchers. I couldn't be more pleased to stay in the winners’ bracket."
Alabama’s offense roared to life immediately as it so often does via the wheels of NFCA All-American center fielder Haylie McCleney. The leadoff hitter ripped a double into the left center gap, on the third pitch she received, and quickly advanced to a third on a perfect sacrifice bunt. UK’s hurler Nunley strongly responded to the threat, however, coercing a pop-up to third from right fielder Jadyn Spencer and getting a grounder to short off the bat of second baseman Kaila Hunt as UA left their speedster stranded 60 feet from pay dirt.
After Kentucky third baseman Nikki Sagermann drew a two-out walk off Traina in the bottom of the first, catcher Griffin Joiner put a charge into a ball to center. The crowd thought for a second it might be out, but McCleney had room to track the ball down on the run at the warning track to end the opening frame.
Things didn’t remain scoreless for long as a single from third baseman Peyton Grantham in the top of the second was cashed in on a two-run blast to left by Lafaele as the Crimson Tide nabbed a 2-0 advantage.
The Wildcats managed their first base runner since the opening frame with one out in the bottom of the fourth as Sagermann battled Traina over eight pitches before earning a walk. UA’s pitcher wouldn’t allow UK to string anything together, however, inducing a routine pop-up from Joiner and getting first baseman Lauren Cumbess to strikeout looking to conclude the frame.
Traina’s no-hit bid came to an end in the bottom of the sixth by virtue of a little Kentucky speed. With two down, center fielder Sylver Samuel fought for seven pitches before hitting a slow roller up the first-base line that she managed to beat out by half a step for a single. With the potential tying run stationed at the plate, Samuel took off on an attempt to steal second and was gunned down on a perfect throw from Fichtner to kill any potential rally.
Bidding for some valuable insurance in the top of the seventh, ‘Bama got a leadoff walk from Fichtner and a perfect sacrifice bunt to move her into scoring position. Unfortunately for the Tide, a strikeout and a sharp grounder back to the circle left the runner stranded at second.
Finally the UK offense showed some fire against Traina starting the last half of the seventh as Sagermann opening the frame with a single to right center. Joiner followed immediately with a blast off Grantham at third and suddenly the ‘Cats were in major business with the potential winning run coming to the plate. Cumbess stepped to the dish and drove a ball the other way to right, packing the bags full of Wildcats with still no one out. Facing a huge spot on the largest stage in softball, Traina managed to strikeout right fielder Emily Gaines looking for out number one. UK second baseman Krystal Smith came to the plate and hit a grounder towards short. Danae Hays fielded it, tossed to Hunt, who made a great turn, and she fired on to Lafaele for the game-ending twin-killing to end the contest.
