Tennessee overcomes controversial call, UCLA to reach WCWS semis

New York Times

01-06-2025

After a controversial call at home plate helped UCLA take Tennessee to extra innings, the Lady Volunteers set out to prove one of the oldest arguments in sports: Ball don't lie.
In the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded, Laura Mealer singled to left field, bringing in the winning run and helping Tennessee stave off elimination with a 5-4 victory over the Bruins on Sunday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. The win set up Tennessee for a date with No. 6 Texas in the semifinals on Monday. Meanwhile, UCLA's season is over.
'I just wanted to stay simple. I have an excellent team behind me, and I was really trying to pass the bat no matter what happens,' Mealer said.
this is for your appendix g
📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/srGAh0YPdI
— Tennessee Softball (@Vol_Softball) June 1, 2025
The Volunteers, who just won their third game of this WCWS, looked like they were going to beat UCLA in regulation thanks to a mistake on the basepaths by the Bruins.
After hitting the game-tying home run in the top of the seventh, UCLA's Megan Grant overstepped home plate as she approached the teammates who had gathered around her to celebrate. Almost immediately after Grant stomped on the ground, as the Bruins started to gleefully walk back to the dugout, teammate Alexis 'Lefty' Ramirez pointed at Grant and took her by the arm, assisting her back over to touch home plate.
TIE BALL GAME 🤯#WCWS x 📺 ABC / @UCLASoftball pic.twitter.com/DZJu5PacNB
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 1, 2025
According to NCAA rules, a teammate cannot physically assist a runner to home plate unless that player is also a runner. Since Ramirez was not on base when Grant hit her home run, she was ineligible to help Grant home. Jordan Woolery, who was on base at the time of Grant's homer, was the only player who could've done so.
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Tennessee challenged the call that the runner was safe at home. After a lengthy review, the umpire admitted that Grant did not touch home plate but said that the type of play is not reviewable. Grant was safe and the two-run homer was upheld.
'The runner did miss home plate and was assisted, however, that play is not reviewable, according to Appendix G,' the umpire said.
Appendix G of the NCAA softball rulebook legislates video reviews, and which plays are subject to it. According to the section, runners missing a base and runners leaving early on a pitch are eligible for review. Rule 10 of Appendix G states that 'runners leaving the base prior to the touch on a fly ball (tagging up), runners missing a base and runners leaving early on a pitch' are eligible for review.
In the 1996 Summer Olympics, Team USA's only loss of the tournament came to Australia in round-robin play due to the same play. American third baseman Dani Tyler hit a ball over the center-field wall, but after failing to touch home plate, the score remained knotted at zero. Her home run would've given the U.S. the 1-0 lead at the end of regulation, but Tyler was called out after an appeal by Australia.
'I can't imagine missing any of the plate trotting, but I was so excited I don't remember positively touching it,' Tyler said after the 1996 matchup, according to USA Today. 'I can't really tell you for sure.'
Despite that play, Team USA went on to take home gold. And despite the confusion on Sunday, the Volunteers stayed alive.
Tennessee advances to the national semifinals and will face Texas at noon ET on Monday. The Vols will have to beat the Longhorns twice to reach the championship series.
'We got everything left in the tank,' Mealer player. 'We're ready. We're ready to go.'
This story will be updated.