Alabama vs. Florida final score, results: Jocelyn Erickson's homer powers Gators to College World Series semifinals

Edward Sutelan

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Bryan Murphy

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Alabama vs. Florida final score, results: Jocelyn Erickson's homer powers Gators to College World Series semifinals image

No. 14 Alabama made a move to bring in a new pitcher, Alea Johnson, to face star Florida slugger Jocelyn Erickson in the top of the sixth. The first pitch? A changeup. The second pitch? A changeup. The third pitch?

Erickson guessed it: another changeup — and she was ready for it. Erickson cranked the 1-1 pitch to straightaway center for a three-run homer, pushing No. 4 Florida's lead up to 6-2. The Gators surrendered a pair of runs in the bottom half, but Keagan Rothrock pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, capping off a complete game and delivering the 6-4 win for Florida to keep its season alive and send the Gators to the semifinals of the Women's College World Series.

The game marked a drastic turnaround from the past two College World Series games for the Gators. Florida mustered only one run on three hits over the first two games in Oklahoma City, as the offense was largely stymied by No. 5 Oklahoma State and No. 1 Texas.

The bats fully woke up in the third game. The Gators had four hits and two runs through the first three innings of the game, scoring the first run on an RBI single to right center to tie the game at 1-1. A fielder's choice then gave Florida the lead.

The Crimson Tide refused to go away. A walk to No. 9 hitter Lauren Johnson and a bunt single by Kristen White gave the Crimson Tide a pair of runners on with no one out. Two batters later, Marlie Giles drove a base hit over the middle to tie the game back at two.

Alabama brought in a new pitcher, Jocelyn Briski, to face the heart of the Florida lineup in the top of the fifth. That Gator stretch gave her a rude welcome as Korbe Otis reached on a single, Erickson walked and Reagan Walsh drove a hit up the middle to give Florida the 3-2 lead. Erickson's three-run homer the next inning gave the Gators all the comfort room they'd need to hold on.

Florida will now advance to face No. 2 Oklahoma, the winners of each of the past three national championships, in the semifinals. The Gators will have to go 2-0 to advance to the College World Series finals.

The Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from Sunday's Women's College World Series showdown between Alabama and Florida. Follow along with all of the key moments below.

MORE: Watch Women's College World Series games live with Fubo (free trial)

Alabama vs. Florida softball final score

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Florida00201306
Alabama01100104

Alabama vs. Florida results, highlights from Women's College World Series

(All times Eastern).

8:22 p.m.: Giles lines out to left, and Florida will advance to the semifinal to face No. 2 Oklahoma.

8:21 p.m.: Preuitt comes up empty on an out-and-away rise ball for the second out of the inning. Alabama is down to its final out.

8:20 p.m.: Larissa Preuitt, who was hurt in the College World Series opener against UCLA, pinch hits for Cahalan, Alabama's best hitter, in the bottom of the seventh. 

8:19 p.m.: White grounds out to shortstop. One away.

8:16 p.m. End top seventh: Johnson catches Kowalewski with another painted down and away fastball. She then gets Falby to ground out to second to end the top of the seventh and keep it a two-run game.

8:13 p.m.: Kistler is caught looking at a painted fastball down and away for strike three.

8:09 p.m. End of sixth: After a nine-pitch AB, Lauren Johnson finally flies out to right to strand a pair of runners. Gators need three outs to survive Elimination Sunday.

8:05 p.m. Alabama scoring play: Heivilin keeps the Alabama momentum going as she catches a hanging curveball over the middle and she drives it past the diving shortstop for an RBI single. Runners now on first and second for Lauren Johnson, the No. 9 hitter. Florida 6, Alabama 4

8:04 p.m. Alabama scoring play: The Gators nearly get the double play they needed as Valentine hits a grounder to second. Florida gets Pate at second, but Goelz can't scoop the throw at first base to complete the double play. Florida 6, Alabama 3

8:01 p.m.: The Crimson Tide load the bases after Esman flips a base hit into shallow center. Kinley Pate comes in as a pinch runner for Esman. And who should come up to the plate but Valentine, who hit a first-inning grand slam against Tennessee in the decisive super-regional contest.

8 p.m.: Jenna Johnson lines a base hit into right, but Kistler gets to it quick enough to hold Giles at second.

7:58 p.m.: On a check swing, Giles lifts a slow liner to the gap that Wallace can't quite catch. Giles reaches on the infield single. Dowling puts a charge in the next pitch, but it's a fly out to left.

7:54 p.m. End top sixth: Walsh is robbed of an extra-base hit on a diving grab by White in right-center.

7:53 p.m. Florida scoring play: Erickson waits on a changeup and she crushes the 1-1 offering to dead center for a three-run homer. Florida is now up by four. Florida 6, Alabama 2

7:50 p.m.: Alea Johnson is brought in to pitch for the Crimson Tide with Erickson due up.

7:48 p.m.: Goelz swipes second on a pitch that just missed inside. Onis hits a grounder to second that Heivilin can't handle, and Erickson will now bat with runners on the corners.

7:46 p.m.: Wallace chases White back to the warning track, but White makes the catch for the second out of the inning. Otis now up looking to keep the Gator inning going.

7:44 p.m.: Goelz gets a base hit up the middle to bring up the top of the order with a runner on first and only one away.

7:42 p.m.: Williams hits a slow chopper back to Briski, who throws her out at first.

7:38 p.m. End of fifth: Cahalan pops out to Goelz in foul territory to end the inning. Gators six outs away.

7:37 p.m.: White tries for a third bunt hit, but this time, the throw from third is just in time to beat her to the bag. Cahalan now bats with a runner on second.

7:35 p.m.: Lauren Johnson chases a pitch in the dirt, but it bounces away from Erickson behind the plate and Johnson reaches on the dropped third strike.

7:33 p.m.: Heivilin gives it a ride, but Kistler makes a nice leaping grab just in front of the right field wall for the first out.

7:29 p.m. End top fifth: Falby grounds out to the pitcher as she is now hitless in her past 19 at bats. Gators have to settle for only a run and strand two in scoring position.

7:26 p.m.: Briski spots the drop ball down and in to catch Kowalewski looking for the second out.

7:24 p.m.: Kistler drops down a perfect sacrifice bunt that moves both runners up a base. Kowalewski, who is 2-for-2 already, steps up with two runners in scoring position and one out.

7:23 p.m. Florida scoring play: Walsh drives a grounder up the middle that scores Otis and gives the Gators their second lead of the day. Florida 3, Alabama 2

7:21 p.m.: Erickson draws a five-pitch walk as Florida now gets the go-ahead run in scoring position.

7:19 p.m.: Otis slashes a line drive to right to give the Gators a leadoff baserunner.

7:18 p.m.: New pitcher on the hill for Alabama as Jocelyn Briski takes the mound to face the 2-4 batters.

7:15 p.m. End of fourth: Make it three outs on five pitches as Valentine lifts a popup to shallow center, where Williams makes the catch.

7:14 p.m.: Two quick outs as Jenna Johnson flies out to center, then Esman hits the first pitch she sees to short for a groundout. Rothrock gets two outs only three pitches.

7:10 p.m. End top fourth: Wallace makes solid contact, but it's a routine fly to center to end the top half of the fourth.

7:09 p.m.: Goelz flies out to left, keeping the runners at first and second. Beaver is an out away from stranding a pair of Gators.

7:07 p.m.: Another good swing by Florida batters as Williams ropes a base hit into left for single. Gators now have runners on first and second with one out, drawing out a mound visit for Alabma.

7:06 p.m.: Leaping grab by Cahalan at shortstop to make an impressive snag on Falby.

7:05 p.m.: Kowalewski wastes no time as she grounds the first pitch she sees back up the middle for a leadoff base hit.

7:01 p.m. End of third: Clutch defensive play by Kowalewski as she takes a grounder hit right to her at the base to get the force at third, then throws across the diamond to get Dowling at first to escape the inning with only one run across.

7 p.m. Alabama scoring play: Back-to-back scoring innings by the Crimson Tide as Giles grounds a base hit up the middle that drives home Johnson to tie the game. Alabama 2, Florida 2

6:59 p.m.: Another screwball that gets Cahalan chasing in the dirt for the strikeout.

6:57 p.m.: This time, White gets the bunt down and it's a good one. It's a slow roller to third, and she beats the throw to first. Runners on first and second for Cahalan and nobody out.

6:55 p.m.: Lauren Johnson leads off the bottom of the third with a walk. Nice start from the No. 9 hitter to give the top of the lineup a runner on first down by one.

6:52 p.m. End top third: Kistler flies out to center to end the frame.

6:49 p.m. Florida scoring play: Routine double play is botched as Cahalan flips to second for the fielder's choice, but there's no time left for the throw to get Walsh at first. Had Cahalan taken it to second herself and thrown to first, she might have had a shot. Instead, the Gators now lead 2-1. Florida 2, Alabama 1

6:47 p.m. Florida scoring play: The Gators respond right away. Erickson crushes a single to the right-center gap to drive home Wallace and move Otis to third. Alabama 1, Florida 1

6:46 p.m.: Otis walks and the Gators are in business with runners on first and second and only one away.

6:43 p.m.: Successful challenge for Florida as Wallace is changed to safe.

6:40 p.m.: Avery Goelz grounds out to second to start the frame, followed quickly by a groundout from Wallace. However, Tim Walton challenges the out call on Wallace's grounder.

6:36 p.m. End of second: Heivilin pops out to third, but the damage was done as the Crimson Tide take the 1-0 lead.

6:34 p.m. Alabama scoring play: Rothrock got the grounder she wanted, but Riley Valentine's groundball to shortstop is so slow there's no chance to turn the double play. Valentine is thrown out at first, but Dowling scores and Johnson moves up to second with two outs. Alabama 1, Florida 0

6:33 p.m.: Esman hits a liner right at Williams at second for the first out.

6:31 p.m.: Major mistake in the outfield as a routine fly ball is dropped by Falby after she and Kistler started to close in on one another. She reaches second base on the error. Jenna Johnson follows that up by singling up the middle to put runners on the corners with no one out.

6:27 p.m. End top second: Mia Williams lifts a popup on the infield, and Lauren Esman makes the catch at first base for the third out.

6:26 p.m.: Kendra Falby slaps a grounder to third that's handled by Bailey Dowling, though she doesn't have a play at second and throws quickly to first for the second out.

6:24 p.m.: On the sixth pitch of her at-bat, Kowalewski grounds a base hit up the middle that gets just past the diving glove of Heivilin at second base.

6:21 p.m.: Katie Kistler puts a serious drive into a 1-1 offering, but White gets the glove just above the wall to make the snag and rob a potential go-ahead homer for the Gators. 

6:18 p.m. End of first: Rothrock catches catcher Marlie Giles looking at strike three to pitch a 1-2-3 inning.

6:16 p.m.: Huge out for Keagan Rothrock as she gets Cahalan to chase a screwball that cuts down into the dirt.

6:15 p.m.: Kristen White attempts a leadoff bunt, but it is snagged in the air by third baseman Ariel Kowalewski for the out.

6:12 p.m. End top first: Gators can't do anything with the hit as Kali Heivilin makes a nice diving stop on a grounder from Reagan Walsh. Heivilin flips the ball to Kenleigh Cahalan at short for the force out to retire the side.

6:11 p.m.: Jocelyn Erickson pops out to short as the Crimson Tide pick up the second out of the frame.

6:09 p.m.: Korbe Otis gets the Gators a baserunner as she lines a single up through the middle on a 1-2 count.

6:08 p.m.: Wallace hits a grounder to second, and she's retired for the first out of the game.

6:07 p.m.: The first pitch to Skylar Wallace from Kayla Beaver is a strike, and this game is underway.

6:03 p.m.: For those looking for the broadcast of this game, it's starting on ESPNews until the Texas-Louisiana regional game ends on ESPN2. ESPNews is available on Fubo, which offers a free trial, and a live stream of the game can be found on ESPN's streaming service, ESPN+.

5:55 p.m.: Here's a look at the two lineups for Florida and Alabama in Sunday's matchup.

5:27 p.m.: Just over a half hour until the first of Sunday's two games is slated to get started. Everything appears to be tracking for a 6 p.m. ET start of the contest.

2:15 p.m.: Bad weather in Oklahoma City has caused a three-hour delay. The Alabama-Florida game now will not start until 6 p.m. ET. 

1:55 p.m.: Florida is aiming to get back to the finals of the Women's College for the first time since 2017, when the team fell to Oklahoma for the championship. Alabama has not played for a title since 2014 — which came against Florida. The Gators emerged victorious in that showdown over the Crimson Tide, the first of back-to-back championships for the program. 

How to watch Alabama vs. Florida softball

  • Start time: 6 p.m. ET
  • TV channel: ABC
  • Live stream: Fubo | ESPN+

Sunday's Women's College World Series matchup between Alabama and Florida was scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET, but due to the weather, it now won't begin until 6 p.m. ET from Oklahoma City.

Alabama vs. Florida will air nationally on ABC. It can also be live streamed on either ESPN+ or Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Women's College World Series schedule 2024

Here's a look at the Women's College World Series schedule, including game times and TV channels. 

Sun., June 2

GameMatchup/ResultsTime (ET)TV/Live stream
Game 9Alabama vs. Florida6 p.m.ABC, Fubo, ESPN+
Game 10Stanford vs. UCLA9:15 p.m.ESPN2, Fubo, ESPN+

Mon., June 3

GameMatchup/ResultsTime (ET)TV/Live stream
Game 11Oklahoma vs. Game 9 winnerNoonESPN, Fubo, ESPN+
Game 12 (if necessary)Game 11 rematch2:30 p.m.ESPN, Fubo, ESPN+
Game 13Texas vs. Game 10 winner7 p.m.ESPN2, Fubo, ESPN+
Game 14 (if necessary)Game 13 rematch9:30 p.m.ESPN2, Fubo, ESPN+

Wed., June 5

GameMatchup/ResultsTime (ET)TV/Live stream
WCWS Final Game 1TBD8 p.m.ESPN, Fubo, ESPN+

Thu., June 6

GameMatchup/ResultsTime (ET)TV/Live stream
WCWS Final Game 2TBD8 p.m.ESPN, Fubo, ESPN+

Fri., June 7

GameMatchup/ResultsTime (ET)TV/Live stream
WCWS Final Game 3 (if necessary)TBD8 p.m.ESPN, Fubo, ESPN+

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Edward Sutelan

Edward Sutelan Photo

Edward Sutelan joined The Sporting News in 2021 after covering high school sports for PennLive. Edward graduated from The Ohio State University in 2019, where he gained experience covering the baseball, football and basketball teams. Edward also spent time working for The Columbus Dispatch and Cape Cod Times.

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.