Maya Brady's two homers help UCLA beat Oklahoma, set up win-or-go-home WCWS game vs. Sooners

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Oklahoma, the No. 1 team in softball and the runaway favorite to win the NCAA tournament, is facing elimination after losing 7-3 to UCLA, powered by Bruins center fielder Maya Brady's two home runs in the semifinal round Monday.

It was only the Sooners' third loss of the season and sets up a win-or-go-home game against UCLA on Monday afternoon. The winner will advance to the finals of the Women's College World Series, with Game 1 scheduled to be played Wednesday.

A niece of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, she is the first UCLA player with multiple home runs in a Women's College World Series game since Megan Langenfeld in the 2010 championship series vs. Arizona.

Tom Brady recognized his niece's accomplishment, tweeting: «Must run in the family (Sorry mom!). Winner takes all in 20 minutes. LET'S GO! @UCLASoftball.»

Must run in the family (Sorry mom!). Winner takes all in 20 minutes. LET'S GO! <a href=«https://twitter.com/UCLASoftball?ref_src=» https: www.espn.com>@UCLASoftball

pic.twitter.com/RYcI8DQuFM

It was Maya Brady's second career multi-home-run game and her first since May 13, 2021, at Arizona.

Oklahoma, which leads the country in ERA, stumbled out of the gates as starting pitcher Nicole May walked three batters, gave up a pair of home runs and was knocked out in the third inning with UCLA ahead 5-1.

It was the first game all season in which May allowed multiple home runs.

The Sooners cut the lead to two on a Grace Lyons two-run homer in the fourth inning but failed to score another run the rest of the game.