KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Kristen White's bases-loaded infield helicopter allowed Lauren Johnson to score from third and Alabama forced a third game, beating Tennessee 3-2 on Saturday in 14 innings in the longest super regional game in softball history university female.
The winner of Sunday's game will face UCLA in the Women's College World Series beginning Thursday. The sixth-seeded Bruins swept 11th-seeded Georgia in a super regional.
The Crimson Tide's Johnson led off the bottom of the 14th with a first-pitch single to left field off Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens. Riley Valentine followed with a double to left field that Tennessee's Rylie West nearly caught down the line to put runners on second and third.
Pickens then intentionally walked ninth batter Kali Heivlin to create strength at home. After fouling on the first pitch, White threw it to Tennessee shortstop Laura Mealer, whose throw was late, allowing Johnson to score.
It was the longest game in Tennessee history (44-11). Tennessee stranded 18 runners.
Kayla Beaver threw more than 160 pitches in relief for Alabama (37-18) and Pickens threw more than 120 for the Vols.
After reaching an infield single to the shortstop in the bottom of the 12th, White stole second. But with two outs, she was thrown out trying to steal third to end the inning. Earlier in the same inning, Valentine was ejected after she hit a high single against the wall and tried to stretch it into a double.
The Crimson Tide tied the score at 2 when Bailey Dowling hit a solo home run on a 2-1 pitch in the bottom of the fourth. In the top of the fourth, Tennessee's Sophia Nugent hit a solo home run for a 2-1 lead.
