Latest news with #LauraMealer
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How to watch Tennessee versus Texas softball: Time, TV channel
How to watch Tennessee versus Texas softball: Time, TV channel No. 7 national seed Tennessee (47-16) will continue play in the Women's College World Series on Monday. The Lady Vols will face No. 6 national seed Texas (53-11). Tennessee advanced to Monday's contest after defeating No. 9 national seed UCLA (55-13), 5-4 in nine innings, on Sunday. Laura Mealer hit a walk-off single in the ninth inning for Tennessee after UCLA tied the game in the seventh inning with a two-run home run by Megan Grant. "That was one of the most exciting, intense, emotional games I have ever been part of in all my years of coaching, and I couldn't be more proud of our young women hanging in there, not letting what happened in the seventh inning costing us the game,' Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly said. 'That's a real battle, and I have to give a ton of credit to the young ladies in our dugout, the young ladies on our bench pouring energy into the team that entire game. They're the MVP that nobody knows about." What channel is Tennessee versus Texas softball on? First pitch between the Lady Vols and Longhorns on Monday is scheduled for noon EDT. ESPN will televise the matchup. Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Michele Smith (analyst), Jessica Mendoza (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline) will be on the call. Watch 2025 College World Series on Fubo We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage. Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mealer, Lady Vols walk it off in 9-inning battle against UCLA
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (WATE) — After a nine-inning battle, the Lady Vols keep their season alive with a Laura Mealer walk-off single to send Tennessee to the national semifinals. Both UCLA and the Lady Vols got their bats rolling in the first, however, it was Tennessee who was able to bring their base runners home. Morristown hosts the Tennessee State Disc Golf Championships In the bottom of the first, Taylor Pannell singled, followed by Ella Dodge, the two still on base when the Bruins intentionally walked McKenna Gibson, loading the bases. Next in the order was Laura Mealer who popped one over the infield and into an open outfield, Pannell making it in first, followed by a diving Dodge to give the Lady Vols a 2-0 lead. That brought Tennessee's total amount of first inning runs through three games at the College World Series to 11. UCLA went yard in the second, twice. First off the bat of Alexis Ramirez, then a blast by Sofia Mujica. Both were solo shots, the two homers tying the game. The Bruins had a chance to take the lead a couple of innings later in the top of the fifth. With two on and two outs, Tennessee intentionally walked Megan Grant, putting Karlyn Pickens back in front of Ramirez, who launched UCLA's first home run. However, this time, Pickens sent Grant back to the dugout with a strikeout, leaving three stranded and ended the Bruins' chances in the fifth. After struggling in the first part of the postseason, Pannell continued to be on a tear in Oklahoma City, hammering a two-run homer towards left field in the bottom of the fifth. A hit that gave Tennessee a 4-2 advantage. Moving into the top of the sixth, UCLA looked as though they were going to threaten once again. With two outs, Kaitlyn Terry was originally called safe at first, which would have put runners on the corners for the Bruins, however the Lady Vols challenged the call, which was overturned in Tennessee's favor, ending the top of the sixth. Pickens appeared to roll her ankle during the top of the sixth but finished the inning without missing a pitch. The top of the seventh was the final chance for UCLA, and Megan Grant took full advantage, crushing one to center field. With one on, the blast tied it at four all. After an extensive review of if Grant actually touched home base after the homer, it was noted that she did not touch home, however the play was not reviewable due to Appendix G so the homer stood. In the bottom of the seventh, with no outs, Pannell got on base from a walk. The Bruins then intentionally talked Sophia Nugent, putting two on base for the Lady Vols. However, a double play from third to second ended regulation. With the game tied at four, the Lady Vols and UCLA went to extra innings. Bruins go three up, three down in the top of the eighth. Tennessee gets runners on the corners in the bottom of the frame, but with two outs already, they couldn't get anyone in. With one out, Lady Vols loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, with a 2-2 count, Laura Mealer snuck one inside the left base line, bringing in Pannell and walking it off to keep the Lady Vol season alive. READ: More top stories on UP NEXT: The Lady Vols live to play another day. Tennessee will face Texas tomorrow at 12 p.m. Tennessee with a tall task to win two back-to-back games against the Longhorns if they want to advance the championship series. If the Lady Vols win game one against Texas, game two is slated for 2:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
3 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Tennessee overcomes controversial call, UCLA to reach WCWS semis
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 — 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 — 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. Advertisement 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.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lady Vols defeat UCLA softball, advance to Women's College World Series semifinals
Lady Vols defeat UCLA softball, advance to Women's College World Series semifinals No. 7 national seed Tennessee (47-16) defeated No. 9 national seed UCLA (55-13), 5-4 in nine innings, during the 2025 Women's College World Series on Sunday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Laura Mealer helped the Lady Vols advance to the semifinals with a walk-off single in the ninth inning after the Bruins tied the game in the seventh inning with a two-run home run by Meagan Grant. Mealer went 2-for-5 and recorded three RBIs, while Taylor Pannell went 3-for-4. She hit a two-run home run, recorded three RBIs and scored three runs. The Lady Vols led, 2-0, in the first inning after Mealer hit a two-run single with two outs. The Bruins tied the game in the second inning after Alexis Ramirez and Sophia Mojica each hit solo home runs. Gabby Leach went 2-for-5, scoring one run. Ella Dodge went 1-for-4 and scored one run for the Lady Vols. Karlyn Pickens (25-10), a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year, pitched nine innings for Tennessee. She allowed four runs, 11 hits and four walks. Pickens recorded seven strikeouts, while totaling 148 pitches, including 91 strikes. Tennessee will next play against Texas on Monday with first pitch slated for noon EDT. The Lady Vols won two of three games during a regular-season SEC series in Austin, Texas.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Tennessee softball escapes WCWS elimination game with win over UCLA despite controversial game-tying homer
Controversy struck the Women's College World Series (WCWS) during an elimination game between UCLA and Tennessee on Sunday. Bruins first baseman Megan Grant came up to the plate with two outs and a runner on first and crushed a pitch off Volunteers pitcher Karlyn Pickens to tie the game, or so everyone thought. Grant rounded third and headed for home to celebrate with her teammates. She didn't appear to touch home plate and a teammate needed to bring her back to make sure she did. Tennessee challenged the run and umpires reviewed it to see whether she touched home plate and whether she was "assisted" back to make sure she definitely made contact with it. College softball rules specify that a runner cannot be physically assisted by a teammate to touch the plate. "After review, the call on the field is upheld and the run will score," the umpire announced. "The runner did miss home plate and was assisted. However, that play is not reviewable, according to Appendix G." Appendix G in the NCAA softball rulebook determines what is reviewable. It was a huge break for the Bruins as they were able to extend the game. Tennessee came up in the bottom of the ninth and pushed one run across the plate to win the game, 5-4. Infielder Laura Mealer singled home Taylor Pannell to win it. The Volunteers now move onto the next round and UCLA goes home. Tennessee faces Texas in the semifinals on Monday. They need to beat the Longhorns twice to move to the championship. UCLA's Sofia Mujica and Alexis Ramirez each hit home runs for the Bruins in the loss. Pickens pitched all nine innings for the Volunteers and struck out seven batters. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
