UCLA Defeats Oregon with Late Walk-Off Homer in WCWS Opener
OKLAHOMA CITY — In a thrilling opener to the Women’s College World Series, Jessica Clements delivered a dramatic two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading the ninth-seeded UCLA Bruins to a 4-2 victory over the 16th-seeded Oregon Ducks on Thursday night.
Clements’ homer, her sixth of the season, marked the second walk-off blast of the day, following a stunning three-run shot by Oklahoma’s Ella Parker earlier. With the win, UCLA (55-11) advanced to a crucial matchup against No. 12 Texas Tech on Saturday, vying for a spot in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Oregon (53-9) faces elimination against unseeded Mississippi in their next game.
The clash held a familiar feeling, as both teams have recently departed the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten. The start time was delayed by 75 minutes due to storms, fittingly creating a late-night atmosphere for the only West Coast matchup in this series. As the action unfolded around 10 p.m., brief darkness struck when stadium lights went out, prompting fans to shine their cellphones in solidarity until power was restored.
The game saw Oregon take an early lead with Kedre Luschar’s RBI single in the third inning, putting the Ducks up 1-0. UCLA responded with Alexis Ramirez’s two-run home run in the fourth, giving the Bruins a 2-1 edge. However, an overturned call in the seventh allowed Oregon to tie the game at two, setting the stage for Clements’ heroics.
This matchup was the 131st encounter between the two storied programs, with UCLA leading the all-time series, 98-33. The rivalry continues to thrive in this new chapter as both teams aim for glory in the WCWS.
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