OKLAHOMA CITY – Behind Alexis Osorio’s nine-strikeout complete game, No. 6 Alabama edged No. 2 Oregon, 2-1 in the second elimination game on Saturday afternoon at the Women’s College World Series at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
Osorio bounced back from her first start of the tournament and stymied the Ducks (51-8) by surrendering a run on three hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. The rookie hurler struck out the side in the sixth and then the final two batters of the game to finish off Oregon.
Box | Alabama Press Quotes | Oregon Press Quotes
Oregon’s Cheridan Hawkins was the tough luck loser as she gave up just three hits, struck out seven and walked three. She ended her stellar junior season with a 30-5 record.
The Crimson Tide stay alive and will face No. 5 UCLA in another elimination game at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Pac-12 Champion Ducks’ season has come to an end.
Chandler Dare’s bloop single just over the second baseman’s outstretched glove drove in the only two runs of the game for Alabama and proved to be the game’s winning hit.
Osorio did the rest. After surrendering a run in the third, she worked around a runner in scoring in the fourth. A one-out Janie Takada single in the fifth was the final base runner. On the next pitch, she was gunned down by Chaunsey Bell on an attempted steal, and Osorio (22-9) retired the final seven batters, five via the strikeout, to earn the win.
Dare registered two (2-for-2) of Alabama’s three hits. Danielle Richard (pictured), who singled, scooted home from second on the game-winning hit.
Takeda’s RBI single off the glove of the second baseman cut Oregon’s deficit in half (2-1) in the top of the third.
That would be it on the scoring front as both pitchers put up zeros over the final four innings.
— Image courtesy of rolltide.com