WCWS roundup: Texas, Oklahoma open with convincing wins

Field Level Media|published: Thu 30th May, 22:57 2024

Oklahoma's Kinzie Hansen (9) celebrates a single of the Women's College World Series game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and Duke at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Thursday, May, 30, 2024.

Teagan Kavan threw a complete-game, one-hit shutout and top-seeded Texas defeated Stanford 4-0 in the first game of the Women's College World Series on Thursday in Oklahoma City.

Kayden Henry hit a two-run single in the sixth inning to double the lead for the Longhorns (53-8), who also scored twice in the third inning.

For Stanford (48-16), Ava Gall reached on an infield single with two outs in the first inning, but the Cardinal could not find another hit against Kavan, who struck out eight with four walks. She threw 124 pitches, 75 for strikes.

Henry came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, and she sent a single to right off Stanford starter NiJaree Canady to plate two runners. Canady pitched all six innings for the Cardinal and yielded five hits and four walks with five strikeouts.

Oklahoma 9, Duke 1 (6 innings)

Kinzie Hansen hit the first of three two-run home runs to lift the Sooners over the Blue Devils, extending their own record with their 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament win.

Hansen got the Sooners' scoring started with a two-out homer to left in the third, jumping on Jala Wright's first pitch of the at-bat. Oklahoma (55-6) built from there, with Alynah Torres adding a two-run homer later in the inning, and then Cydney Sanders driving another two-run shot in the fourth.

The Blue Devils, in their first Women's College World Series appearance, took the lead in the second on Francesca Frelick's leadoff homer to left.

UCLA 4, Alabama 1

Jordan Woolery delivered a three-run home run in the sixth inning to deliver the Bruins over the Crimson Tide.

UCLA (43-10) will take on Oklahoma on Saturday while Alabama (38-19) will play Duke in an elimination game Friday.

UCLA's offense was held mostly in check by Alabama starter Kayla Beaver until the sixth, when Maya Brady led off with a single. The Crimson Tide opted to intentionally walk Sharlize Palacios before Beaver struck out Megan Grant for the second out. But Woolery turned on Beaver's 1-1 offering, belting it over the left field wall to break the tie.

--Field Level Media

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