Georgia to play Washington in Women’s College World Series semis

OKLAHOMA CITY — Taylor Schlopy hit two of Georgia’s four home runs during a record-setting day for SEC offenses at the Women’s College World Series.

Schlopy became only the fourth player in World Series history to homer twice in one game, and the sixth-seeded Bulldogs set a Series record with four home runs in a game while overcoming a three-run deficit to beat Michigan 7-5 Saturday.

Schlopy’s three-run blast into the left-field stands off Nikki Nemitz (28-7) put Georgia on top 5-3 in the second inning, and Ashley Pauly and Brianna Hesson also homered.

Christie Hamilton (26-9) came on in relief and picked up her second win of the day despite having a series of illegal pitches called against her.

Roya St. Clair homered and drove in three runs to lead the Michigan (47-12) offense.

The Bulldogs (46-11) will take on third-seeded Washington in the semifinals Sunday, needing to beat the Huskies twice to reach the best-of-three championship series. Washington beat Georgia 3-1 on Thursday.

Alabama beat eight-time national champion Arizona 14-0 Saturday, setting records for the most runs and biggest margin of victory in a World Series game, but needed to win another elimination game against defending champion Arizona State to reach Sunday’s semifinals.

Hamilton was called for five illegal pitches after her delivery came into question against Missouri earlier in the day. She was called once in that game for stepping out of the pitching lane defined by chalk lines in the pitcher’s circle, but Tigers coach Ehren Earleywine questioned whether other calls might have been missed.

The lanes were instituted this year as part of an NCAA crackdown on the rule.

“When you step to the side like that, you get more spin on the ball and it advantages the pitcher,” said Dee Abrahamson, the NCAA’s softball secretary rules editor. “We’re trying to keep the playing field level and have them step forward instead of to the side.”

Alabama 14, Arizona 0, 5 innings

Alabama didn’t feel like it even put up a fight in its first-round loss at the Women’s College World Series.

So, against Arizona, the Crimson Tide kept swinging until the Wildcats had suffered the worst defeat in the history of the powerhouse program that has won eight national championships.

“In a fight, sometimes your back’s against the wall. Our motto was, ‘We haven’t even started to throw our punches yet,’” said Charlotte Morgan, who homered and drove in three runs for Alabama in a 14-0 victory called off after five innings because of the mercy rule. “We were coming out and we wanted to start fighting back.”

The Crimson Tide (53-10) scored eight runs in the second inning and set records for the most runs scored in a World Series game and the most lopsided victory in the event’s 27-year history. Arizona held the previous records with a 12-0 first-round win over Fresno State in 1989.

The Wildcats (46-17) used all three of their top pitchers in a failed effort to slow the Tide, and wound up with the school’s largest blowout loss — surpassing a 15-3 defeat to Cal State-Fullerton in 2003.

“Any time you put on a uniform, you’re going to have the highs and the lows that come with it,” said Mike Candrea, who also coached the U.S. team in the last two Olympics. “I’ve been on both sides of it. You feel bad, but truthfully it’s not life-threatening. Like I told the kids, what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.”

After winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007, Arizona has been eliminated in the minimum two games each of the past two years at the World Series.

Georgia knocks out Missouri

Unseeded Missouri has become the first team eliminated from the Women’s College World Series.

Kristyn Sandberg hit a two-run home run and Kristin Schnake added a two-run double as Georgia advanced in the double-elimination tournament with a 5-2 win Saturday against the Tigers.

Sandberg gave the sixth-seeded Bulldogs (45-11) a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning when she hit her eighth home run of the season with a line drive to center field. Schnake made it 5-0 an inning later as Georgia cashed in after Chelsea Thomas (16-7) issued a walk, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.

Georgia starter Christie Hamilton (25-9) gave up only a two-run single to Marla Schweisberger after a disputed call kept a rally going in the sixth inning for the Tigers (50-12).

Alabama 6, Arizona St. 2

OKLAHOMA CITY — Pinch-hitter Jazlyn Lunceford hit her first career grand slam to lift Alabama to a 6-2 win against defending champion Arizona State and knock the Sun Devils out of the Women’s College World Series.

Coach Patrick Murphy made what ended up being a brilliant move, replacing four-time All-American Brittany Rogers with a freshman who didn’t have a hit in over a month.

With two outs, Lunceford sent a 2-2 pitch from freshman Hillary Bach (31-11) onto the walkway at the front of the left-field stands to put the Crimson Tide ahead 4-2 in the fourth inning.

Alabama (54-10) gave starter Kelsi Dunne (28-4) some added cushion with a pair of unearned runs in the fifth, including one on a double steal.

Katie Crabb hit a two-run home run for Arizona State (47-19).