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2026 WCWS: Williams' walk-off blast sets up win-or-go-home game

Screenshot 2024-07-31 at 7.46.34 PMby: Brady Vernon06/02/26BradyVernon

Mia Williams came to Texas Tech to win a national championship. She kept the hopes alive for another game. Williams belted a walk-off homer to left field to secure Texas Tech’s 5-4 win over Alabama, forcing a win-or-go-home game for a spot in the WCWC championship series against Texas.

The two teams continued to trade late-game blows. In the fifth, the Devon Park crowd watched in waiting to see if Alabama’s Audrey Vandagriff brought back the would-be home run from Texas Tech’s Taylor Pannell. The Tide left fielder came up empty-handed as the ball glazed past her outstretched glove. Pannell’s two-run blast gave the Red Raiders the lead momentarily.

Once again, Texas Tech couldn’t close out its lead in the seventh. Iowa transfer Jena Young, who has been a force in the leadoff spot for the Tide, matched Pannell with her own two-run blast off of Kaitlyn Terry.

After a quiet first inning from both sides, each team made an adjustment to the starting pitcher. Alabama had two straight hard-hit singles against Kaitlyn Terry, which prompted Gerry Glasco to make his first rotation to Canady. Audrey Vandagriff lifted a flyball for a sacrifice fly to net the game’s first run. Canady responded with back-to-back Ks to limit the damage to one.

Canady’s first stay in the circle only lasted so long. Marlie Giles led off the fourth with another blast off of Canady. After the game-tying homer by Giles – who now has homers off Jordy Frahm and Canady at the Women’s College World Series – Terry came back to pitch.

The Texas Tech offense seemed to be hunting dropballs. Briski countered with more riseballs. Terry and Taylor Pannell had back-to-back singles. Hailey Toney, whose bat was on fire last WCWS, ripped a two-out double into right field to answer back in the second.

Lauren Allred produced another clutch hit in the postseason. She hit a two-out blast off Briski in the third. Allred’s 11th homer of the season gave the Red Raiders the advantage until Giles answered back.

It was clear that the SEC Pitcher of the Year didn’t have her best stuff. Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy didn’t hesitate to make a chance to freshman All-American Vic Moten.

Moten took the chance and ran with. She struck out All-Americans NiJaree Canady and Mia Williams to leave two runners on base and keep the game tied at two. In the end, the two home run balls were the difference. Moten threw 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on two hits, which were the long balls.

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