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You can watch a live stream of UCLA vs Minnesota and all WCWS games via a free trial of PlayStation Vue right here. More information about PS Vue and other live stream options can be found below
The UCLA Bruins and the Minnesota Golden Gophers will meet in the first round of the Women’s College World Series on Thursday at OGE Energy Field, part of the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City.
The game is scheduled to start at about 2:30 p.m. ET (depending on when UW vs Arizona ends) and will be televised on ESPN. If you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream of the game on your computer, phone or streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
PS Vue — which doesn’t require an actual PlayStation console to sign up or watch — offers four different live-TV channel packages: All four include ESPN and ESPN2.
You can start a free five-day trial of PS Vue right here, and you can then watch a live stream of UCLA vs Minnesota (and all other WCWS games) on your computer via the PS Vue website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation (3 or 4), or other supported device via the PS Vue app.
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 60-plus live TV channels, including ESPN and ESPN2.
You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of UCLA vs Minnesota (and all other WCWS games) on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show, or other streaming device via the Hulu app.
ESPN and ESPN2 are both included in the “Sling Orange” channel bundle.
You can start a free seven-day trial right here, and you can then watch a live stream of UCLA vs Minnesota (and all other WCWS games) on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the Sling TV app.
UCLA vs Minnesota Preview
The Bruins (51-6) are vying for their 12th official NCAA tournament championship (their 1995 title was vacated) and their second under head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, who led them to the title in 2010.
They bested James Madison 6-1 and 7-2 in the super regionals to advance to their fifth consecutive Women’s College World Series.
“Anytime you win a super and get to this top eight in the World Series, it’s a great experience,” Inouye-Perez said, according to the Daily Bruin. “It’s what (players) dream about at the beginning of every season, to be a top-eight team, the last standing.”
A season ago, the Bruins fell to Florida State, the eventual champions, in the semifinals.
“We’re all pretty fired up to be back at the World Series,” UCLA redshirt sophomore outfielder Aaliyah Jordan said, per the Daily Bruin. “We have that fire from last year that we didn’t end our season how we wanted to, so I think this year we’re really motivated to end it where we want it to.”
UCLA’s ERA is 1.39, the second-best team-wide mark in Division I. Their pitching corps is led by redshirt junior Rachel Garcia, who has the nation’s third-best individual ERA at 1.01. The team also ranks second in batting average, at .342.
The Gophers (46-12) topped LSU 5-3 and 3-0 in their second ever super regionals to reach the school’s first Women’s College World Series.
They’ve won 27 of their last 30 contests.
“There’s something special about sharing a lot of firsts together,” Minnesota head coach Jamie Trachsel said, according to CBS Minnesota. “I think it bonds a group of people.”
She added: “We feel proud to have earned this opportunity, but by no means was it just to get to the World Series. Like, you always re-focus, re-attack what’s in front of you, and you know, we have every intention … [to] go out there to prepare for our opponent, and go out there and make them really uncomfortable and try to ruin their day, and try to win.”
Minnesota sports Division I’s seventh-best ERA, at 1.64. Junior pitcher Amber Fiser ranks 12th in the nation with a 1.17 ERA. She tossed a 91-pitch complete game shutout in the second tilt with LSU to propel the Golden Gophers to their most successful season to date.
“I think it just allows us to play free,” Minnesota senior outfielder Maddie Houlihan said of making the team’s first College World Series, per CBS Minnesota. “You know we have everything to gain, nothing really to lose. You know, I think all the teams there have been there before … [we’re] the only one without the experience, and I think that’s awesome. I think we can just go right at opponents and really just enjoy the experience, but also challenge to win games.”