WCWS Live Updates from No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 UCLA

OKLAHOMA CITY–– Game day is here in Oklahoma City.

No. 1 Alabama (54-7) opens its 2026 Women's College World Series journey against No. 8 UCLA (52-8) at Devon Park on Thursday night. Both programs are very familiar with the WCWS and know what it takes to win on the big stage.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN, but BamaCentral will provide updates throughout.

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Live updates

(latest updates at the top)

FINAL: Alabama 6, UCLA 3

Top 7- UCLA batting

Slimp grounds out to third base to end the game.

Briski notches her ninth strikeout of the evening against Lamar. Alabama is one out away.

Briski hits Bragg on the second pitch of a 1-0 count. It's the fourth batter Briski has hit this season. Jaella Ann is pinch running for Bragg, as she sustained an injury earlier in the game.

Berry pops up the first pitch in the infield for the first out.

END 6: Alabama 6, UCLA 3

Bottom 6- Alabama batting

The next two batters are retired, but Alabama has the lead heading into the seventh inning.

BROOKE WELLS COMES THROUGH. Alabama's home run leader knocks her 24th of the season to give Alabama a three-run lead. Alabama 6, UCLA 3

Two on with one out for the heart of the order.

Young drops one in front of the left fielder for her third hit. She has now reached base four times.

White legs out an infield single.

Hawkins pops up in foul territory. One out.

8-9-1 coming up for the Tide

MID 6: Alabama 3, UCLA 3

Top 6- UCLA batting

A ground ball on the first pitch retires the side. Third straight inning that Briski has kept the Bruins off the board.

Briski freezes Alejandre looking for the second out. She now has eight Ks.

Garcia singles up the middle with one out for her first hit of the game.

Preuitt catches a ball in foul territory for the first out.

3-4-5 due up for the Bruins in the sixth

Two defensive changes for Alabama: Lauren Johnson enters in left, and Larissa Preuitt comes in for Roman in right.

END 5: Alabama 3, UCLA 3

Bottom 5- Alabama batting

Taylor makes solid contact, but it is caught in left field for the final out, stranding the two runners in scoring position. Alabama has left seven runners on base.

Vandagriff singles up the middle. The ball is bobbled by the centerfielder, and Alabama has two in scoring position with two outs for Taylor.

Giles draws a two-out walk to keep the inning going.

Roman chases a pitch for the third strike, and Murphy is not very happy with her. The freshman has just two hits in the NCAA tournament in 15 official ABs.

ALEXIS. PUPILLO. The senior hits a home run for the third game in a row to tie this game up. Alabama 3, UCLA 3

Wells lines out to short for the first out.

Young draws a leadoff walk. She's reached base three times today to continue her excellent postseason play at the plate.

Top of the lineup due up for the Tide, looking for its first run since the first inning.

MID 5: UCLA 3, Alabama 1

Top 5- UCLA batting

Grant pops up to short to strand the runner.

Pitching coach Lance McMahon will go meet with Briski and Giles in the circle before facing Grant for the third time.

Slimp flies out to left. Two outs

Top of the order coming up now for the third time through the lineup. Briski won the battle the first time through, but UCLA jumped on her the second time.

Lamar goes down swinging for Briski's seventh strikeout of the game. One out.

Bragg singles through the left side on the first pitch she sees to give UCLA a leadoff baserunner, her second hit of the game.

END 4: UCLA 3, Alabama 1

Bottom 4- Alabama batting

White puts the ball in play, but Garcia is ready at short and fires to first to retire White and strand the two runners.

Murphy, hitting coach Adam Arbour and assistant Kayla Braud all meet with White before her at-bat.

Hawkins is hit by a pitch to put two on with two outs.

Taylor pops out on the first pitch she sees. Two outs

Vandagriff perfectly executes a bunt single to give Alabama a one-out baserunner.

Giles, Vandagriff and Taylor coming up for Alabama

MID 4: UCLA 3, Alabama 1

Top 4- UCLA batting

UCLA goes three up, three down in the fourth inning. Briski needed that kind of inning after what happened in the third.

A groundout goes for the second out.

Alejandre pops up in foul territory for the first out.

5-6-7 due up for the Bruins in the fourth

END 3: UCLA 3, Alabama 1

Bottom 3- Alabama batting

Roman gets up 3-0 in the count but eventually strikes out swinging. Alabama can't do anything with the leadd hit or respond to the UCLA runs.

Young steals third on a ball in the dirt. Freshman Ana Roman at the plate for the Tide.

Pupillo hits what could have been a double-play ball. Bragg bobbles it at second, but recovers to get Pupillo at first for the second out. Young moves to second on the play.

Wells strikes out swinging. One out

UCLA calls a meeting in the circle before facing Wells.

Another leadoff single for Young. She hits the first pitch of the inning off of Tinsley's glove.

Top of the lineup coming up for the Tide, looking to respond

MID 3: UCLA 3, Alabama 1

Top 3- UCLA batting

Briski bounces back with a strikeout to end the frame and strand the runner at first. UCLA takes the lead in the third with three runs on four hits, highlighted by the home runs from Slimp and Grant.

The UCLA bats have come to life. Woolery singles out to centerfield, and Alabama pitching coach Lance McMahon goes out to meet with Briski and Giles in the circle.

Alabama freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Pallozzi heads out to the bullpen to start getting warm after the Grant home run. Looks like fellow freshman Vic Moten had already been warming up.

Back to back home runs for the Bruins. The nation's home run leader Megan Grant hits her 41st of the year. UCLA 3, Alabama 1

The Bruins are on the board with a two-out, two-run home run from Rylee Slimp, her 17th of the year. UCLA 2, Alabama 1

After the wellness check on Wells, there's one on with two outs for the top of the UCLA lineup.

Once again, two Alabama defenders collide as first baseman Brooke Wells runs into the back of catcher Marlie Giles, who caught the popup for the second out. It looks like Wells ran right into Giles' mask, leading to some bloody teeth and a look from the team trainer and doctor. Wells will remain in the game.

Bragg singles out to left field to give UCLA its first baserunner. She stumbles out of the box, or it could have possibly been a double. She will be lifted for pinchrunner Mia Phillips.

Berry puts a charge in one on the first pitch she sees, but Vandagriff tracks it down in left for the first out.

7-8-9 coming up for the Bruins

END 2: Alabama 1, UCLA 0

Bottom 2- Alabama batting

White grounds out, and Tinsley makes quick work of Alabama in the second inning.

Bragg makes a diving stop at second to rob Hawkins of a hit.

Taylor strikes out swinging for the first out.

Taylor, Hawkins and White due up for the Tide

MID 2: Alabama 1, UCLA 0

Top 2- UCLA batting

Briski is on fire. She sits UCLA down in order, striking out two more. She's up to four Ks through the first two innings.

4-5-6 due up for the Bruins in the second

END 1: Alabama 1, UCLA 0

Bottom 1- Alabama batting

Vandagriff grounds out to first to end the frame, but Alabama collects one run on three hits in the inning. After two on with nobody out to start out, Alabama was probably hoping for more than one run, but it'll take what it can get.

This is Giles third time at the WCWS, and she isn't intimidated by the moment.

.@AlabamaSB is fired up for the early lead 😤#WCWS x 🎥 ESPN pic.twitter.com/6hWMRm7Q7c
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 28, 2026

Alabama's senior captain Marlie Giles comes through with an RBI single to left to score Young. Giles reaches second on the throw home. Alabama 1, UCLA 0

Roman grounds out to the right side, but it moves both runners into scoring position with two outs for Giles.

Pupillo chases an outside pitch for the swinging strikeout and first out.

Wells singles out to left, and Alabama has two on with nobody out. That's big for Wells' confidence to get a hit in her first WCWS at-bat after goig hitless in Supers.

Leadoff single up the middle for Jena Young.

Young, Wells and Pupillo due up for the Crimson Tide to open action at the WCWS

MID 1: Alabama 0, UCLA 0

Top 1- UCLA batting

Three up, three down start for Briski. Couldn't have gone much better in the first for the Alabama ace.

Woolery strikes out swinging, just her 12th strikeout of the year in 187 ABs.

Hawkins and Vandagriff collide on a weak fly ball off the bat of Grant, but Hawkins makes the catch for the second out in shallow left field. It probably should've been Vandagriff's ball as she was the one running in. Either way, big out to retire the nation's home run leader.

Three pitches, three strikes, one out. Slimp goes down swinging.

The first pitch from Briski is a strike, and this game is underway.

Slimp, Grant and Woolery will lead things off for the Bruins.

Starting lineups

Pregame

About 10 minutes before first pitch, there's still a decent amount of empty seats in the stadium. I think it'll fill in a lot more later tonight when Nebraska and Arkansas play.

Tonight's umpires: Brett Higgins (home plate), Megan Rabin (first base), Marty Abezetian (second base), Chelsea Clark (third base)

Patrick Murphy utilizes the same starting nine that has been in place since the postseason started.

Jocelyn Briski gets the nod in the circle for the Crimson Tide. Taylor Tinsley will start for UCLA.

Alabama AD Greg Byrne made the trip out to Oklahoma City and was there to greet the team as it came out on the field.

Alabama will be wearing its all-white uniforms tonight. UCLA is in all blue.

Alabama walks into the stadium about an hour before first pitch.

Alabama arrived to the field at Devon Park for its opening game at the WCWS pic.twitter.com/5miKTt1IA0
— Katie Windham (@katiewindham_) May 28, 2026

The fans have started flooding into the stadium 1.5 hours before first pitch.

Alabama will be the designated home team.

Sunny skies in Oklahoma with temperatures in the low 80s. No rain in the forecast (for today, at least.)

In Thursday's Session 1 games, No. 11 Texas Tech beat Mississippi State, and No. 7 Tennessee beat No. 2 Texas. The Bulldogs and Longhorns will meet on Friday in an elimination game. The evening session features Alabama and UCLA in the first game with No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Arkansas in the second game.

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