Women's College World Series: Florida, Ole Miss join UCLA, Tennessee in punching ticket after super-regional wins
The field of the Women's College World Series is beginning to assemble, with the first tickets officially punched on Saturday and more to come on Sunday as teams play out the NCAA softball super regionals.
Four teams completed sweeps to finish the job, including the defending champs and an underdog, while others got things done with Game 3 victories on Sunday. Here is every team that qualified and how they got there.
Texas Tech
Texas Tech, a 12-seed, took down No. 5 Florida State on Friday.
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NiJaree Canady, who transferred to Texas Tech from Stanford for the largest-ever softball NIL deal, led the way for the Red Raiders, pitching seven innings each in Games 1 and 2, allowing just one total run. Canady added a hit, RBI and a walk in Game 1.
It will be Texas Tech's first appearance in the WCWS.
Oklahoma
No. 2 Oklahoma, the seven-time NCAA champs, joined Texas Tech on Saturday with a mercy-rule sweep over Alabama.
After a 3-0 win over the Crimson Tide on Friday, the Sooners punched their ticket with a 13-2 win on Saturday, with the matchup ending after five innings due to the mercy rule. Freshman shortstop Gabbie Garcia hit two two-run homers, including one that began a nine-run third inning for Oklahoma.
For Oklahoma, the WCWS familiar territory: The Sooners have appeared in the event 18 times since 2000, reached the last nine straight and won the past four championships.
Oregon
After a dramatic regional that saw No. 16 Oregon lose 14-1 to unseeded Stanford then reach the super regionals by sweeping the Cardinal in a doubleheader, the Ducks didn't have much trouble against Liberty, who took down No. 1 Texas A&M in the regionals.
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Oregon dominated the unseeded Flames 13-1 on Saturday, turning the game into a true laugher with a seven-run seventh inning. It will be their first WCWS appearance since 2018.
Texas
In the only Game 3 of Saturday, No. 6 Texas held on against No. 11 Clemson to win 6-5 to make its second straight WCWS. The Longhorns lost to Oklahoma in last year's finals.
The Tigers put a scare in Texas in the seventh inning when Julia Knowler clubbed a two-run homer to cut the deficit to one run, but pitcher Mac Morgan got the two outs she needed to end the game.
Tennessee
Tennessee has a chance to chase its first NCAA title after a 1-0 win over Nebraska on Sunday. After losing 5-2 to the unranked Cornhuskers in Game 1, the Lady Vols forced a Game 3 with a 3-2 win on Saturday, behind a complete game (and an NCAA record fastest pitch) from Tennessee star Karlyn Pickens.
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In Game 3, the No. 7-seeded Tennessee took the lead with a solo homer from second baseman Ella Dodge in the first inning — and then managed to hold that score for the rest of the game off an incredible defensive performance. The final out was a pop-up foul, caught easily by third baseman Taylor Pannell to seal the win.
This will be Tennessee's ninth appearance in the WCWS. However, the team has never picked up the championship, finishing as runner-up twice in the past two decades.
UCLA
The Bruins are also heading to the WCWS after a thrilling Game 3 win over South Carolina on Sunday. No. 9-seeded UCLA pulled to a 5-0 win over the No. 8 Gamecocks behind another big performance from junior slugger Jordan Woolery, who put up two RBIs in the win.
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UCLA clinched its spot after falling to South Carolina in Game 1. But a two-run, walk-off homer from Woolery in Game 2 gave the Bruins a chance to force a Game 3, and eventually advance.
The Bruins, who are 13-time NCAA champions, will be seeking their first title since 2019.
Florida
The No. 3 Gators took care of business against unseeded Georgia, defeating the Bulldogs 5-2 on Sunday to secure a spot in the WCWS. Florida beat Georgia 6-1 in Game 1, but dropped Game 2 with a 2-1 loss after the Bulldogs took an early 2-0 lead.
On Sunday, though, the Gators took back control, earning the win off two two-run homers in the fifth inning from right fielder Taylor Shumaker and shortstop Rylee Holtorf. After picking up a strong 5-0 lead, the team held on through a late seventh-inning push from Georgia to win the game and advance.
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Ole Miss
The unseeded Rebels pulled off a major upset on Sunday, stunning No. 4 Arkansas 7-4 in Game 3 to advance to the WCWS. Ole Miss took an early 4-0 lead after a hot first inning, but the Razorbacks tied things up in the second inning. However, the Rebels kept pushing, picking up runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings while holding the line defensively.
Ole Miss held off Arkansas in Game 1 to take a 9-7 win, before the Razorbacks stormed back to a 4-0 victory in Game 2. But Sunday's upset win keeps things going for the Rebels, who will now head to the WCWS for the first time in program history.
Women's College World Series Schedule
With the field set, those eight teams will advance to the double-elimination WCWS tournament, with all games taking place in Oklahoma City. The higher-ranked teams will serve as the home team, with the losers heading to a loser bracket to stay alive in the tournament.
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Here is the schedule for the tournament's first two days:
May 29:
Game 1: No. 3 Florida vs. No. 6 Texas, noon ET
Game 2: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 7 Tennessee, 2:30 p.m. ET
Game 3: No. 12 Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss, 7 p.m. ET
Game 4: No. 9 UCLA vs. No. 16 Oregon, 9 p.m. ET
June 1
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