Arizona, UCLA set for 2021 Women's College World Series
SAN FRANCISCO — No. 11 seed Arizona and defending champion and No. 2 seed UCLA will represent the Pac-12 at the 2021 Women’s College World Series (WCWS), with games beginning Thursday, June 3. Both programs will be making their second consecutive appearances at the event in Oklahoma City. The Pac-12 has won 24 of the 38 WCWS titles all-time.
The Wildcats (41-13) advanced to their 24th WCWS — second-most only to the Bruins — after sweeping sixth-seeded Arkansas in the Fayetteville Super Regional. Arizona won all three of its games as host of the Tucson Regional and is a perfect 5-0 in the postseason, outscoring its opponents 45-17. Redshirt senior Alyssa Denham pitched a complete game in each of Arizona’s last two wins which clinched a WCWS berth. Redshirt senior shortstop Jessie Harper currently sits in third-place all-time with 91 career home runs, including two this postseason. The Wildcats will face No. 3 Alabama at 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. MT on June 3.
The Bruins (46-5) advanced to their record 30th WCWS after defeating Virginia Tech in Game 3 of the Los Angeles Super Regional last week. Redshirt senior Rachel Garcia pitched a two-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts in her final game at Easton Stadium, as UCLA prevailed in the elimination game. The Bruins will open their title defense against No. 10 seed Florida State at 6:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. MT on June 3. UCLA is one of three teams seeded in the top-5 to advance out of the Super Regionals.
Rounding out the teams vying for the 2021 title are top-seeded Oklahoma, No. 5 seed Oklahoma State, Georgia and James Madison. This year’s WCWS field features champions from the past four events, as the Seminoles won the title in 2018, while the Sooners were victors in 2016 and 2017.
Coverage of all Women’s College World Series games will be on ESPN and its family of networks.