OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Mia Williams hit her first career walk-off home run to force a winner-take-all rematch Monday night after Texas Tech’s 5-4 victory over Alabama in the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series.
It was the fifth time in WCWS history both semifinals went to a second game in the double-elimination format, with Texas beating Tennessee twice earlier in the day.
Williams’ 26th home run of the season came after Alabama’s Jena Young tied it at 4-all in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run homer.
Texas Tech (60-8) kept alive its hopes of reaching the finals for a second consecutive season — both against the Longhorns.
Alabama (56-8), which had a seven-game winning streak halted, still seeks its first finals appearance since 2014.
Nijaree Canady (28-6), who picked up the victory with 2 2/3 innings of work, set an NCAA record with her 18th career appearance in a WCWS game, breaking a tie with UCLA’s Debbie Doom. Canady struck out four, while allowing one earned run and three hits in relief of starter Kaitlyn Terry.
Texas Tech’s first four runs came with two outs.
Texas Tech got three hits off Alabama starter Jocelyn Briski in the second to tie it at 1-all. Hailey Toney tied it with a double down the right-field line for the first hit allowed by Briski in the NCAA Tournament with runners in scoring position — breaking a 0-for-15 streak.
Lauren Allred, who had a walk-off sacrifice fly in last season’s semifinal, gave Texas Tech a 2-1 lead in the third with a solo home run.
Taylor Pannell hit a two-run homer — just over the glove of left fielder Audrey Vandagriff — in the fifth to give Texas Tech 4-2 lead.
Freshman Vic Moten (21-5) took the loss after entering with two on and one out in the fourth. She allowed three earned runs in 2 2/3 innings, while striking out four.
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