Jordan Woolery starred for the UCLA Bruins in their College World Series opener against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Thursday. While the sophomore took the Bruins to a victory with her three-run shot in the bottom of the sixth inning, her mother, Stephanie Belton, was on the receiving end of one of the most special moments in college softball this season.
Woolery crushed Kayla Beaver's 70 mph pitch far into left field to score the decisive home run. While she was rounding the bases, the fans at Devon Park ensured her mother felt special.
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After a fan caught Woolery's home run ball in the stands, he passed it on to Belton, who showed the ball off to the camera beaming with pride. If the moment wasn't already perfect, Woolery's teammates ensured it was by waiting for her at home plate to celebrate her clutch moment.
Before Woolery's home run, the sixth-seeded Bruins were locked in a 1-1 tie with the 14th-seeded Crimson Tide.
Jadelyn Allchin opened the scoring for the Bruins by driving in NFL legend Tom Brady's niece, Maya Brady in the third. The Crimson Tide equalized in the fifth when Kenleigh Calahan drove in Kinley Pate.
Woolery's homer was a sharp blow to Alabama, which was unable to respond in the seventh.
Jordan Woolery leads UCLA Bruins to the winning side of their College World Series bracket
The Bruins' 4-1 victory over the Crimson Tide sent them to the winner's side of their bracket. Their next game is against the second-seeded Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday. UCLA, the 2019 NCAA Division I champion, will be feeling the heat with the Devon Park crowd likely to become a hostile one for them.
OU has won the last three College World Series and has won six of its seven national championships since 2000.
Meanwhile, the Patrick Murphy-led Crimson Tide moved to the elimination bracket and will face the 10th-seeded Duke Blue Devils in a do-or-die game in the double-elimination tournament on Friday.
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