The Tennessee Lady Vols clinched a dramatic 5-4 walk-off victory over the UCLA Bruins in extra innings, eliminating the Bruins and advancing to the Women’s College World Series semifinals in Oklahoma City on June, 2025.
Game Highlights and Key Moments.
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Tennessee struck first, with Laura Mealer delivering a two-RBI single in the opening inning after UCLA opted for an intentional walk to load the bases.
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UCLA responded in the second inning with back-to-back home runs from Alexis Ramirez and Sofia Mujica, tying the game at 2-2.
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The Lady Vols regained the lead in the fifth as Taylor Pannell launched a two-run homer, putting Tennessee up 4-2.
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UCLA rallied in the seventh, with Megan Grant smashing a game-tying home run to force extra innings..
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In the bottom of the ninth, Tennessee loaded the bases following two intentional walks. Once again, Mealer came through, singling to left field to walk off the game and send the Lady Vols to the semifinals.
Controversial Calls and NCAA Rules.
The game featured tense moments, including a key interference call in the sixth inning that prevented a UCLA scoring threat. The ruling, referencing NCAA Softball Rules Appendix G, was upheld after a challenge by Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly, ending a Bruins rally.
What’s Next?.
With the win, Tennessee advances to face unbeaten Texas in the semifinals, needing two victories to reach the championship series set for June 4.
Box Score Summary.
Notable Performances.
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Laura Mealer: RBIs, including the walk-off single.
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Taylor Pannell: 2-run home run in the fifth.
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Karlyn Pickens: Tennessee ace, pitched through injury and key late-inning pressure.
Streaming and Broadcast.
Fans can catch replays and highlights of the game on ESPN platforms and YouTube..
The Lady Vols’ win over UCLA was filled with suspense, controversy, and clutch performances—setting up a must-watch semifinal showdown in the Women’s College World Series..
