NCAA Women’s College World Series 2021, Day 1: Live stream, TV schedule, how to watch softball tournament (6/3/2021)

The 2021 college softball season is down to eight teams as we get set for the start of the 2021 NCAA Women’s College World Series. This week’s action in Oklahoma City is set to kickoff with a flurry of action Thursday with four games that all have big stakes on the line as teams try to avoid the loser’s bracket in the double-elimination tournament. Thursday’s action will start off with Oklahoma vs. James Madison, followed by Georgia vs. Oklahoma State, then Arizona vs. Alabama and finally Florida State vs. UCLA to finish things off. Oklahoma enters this year’s tournament as the No. 1 seed. However, eyes will be on UCLA, who is technically the defending champion after the 2020 Women’s College World Series was canceled due to COVID-19.

• Tickets: Buy tickets to the Women’s College World Series from Stubhub

This weekend’s women’s softball coverage will air on TV via ESPN channels. If you don’t have cable, you can stream the game with Sling and fuboTV, which both come with seven-day free trials.

NCAA Women’s College World Series 2021

Start times/TV schedule

TV channel: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU (Channel finder: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling.)

Live stream: WatchESPN / ESPN app | fuboTV | Sling | You can watch the games online using your cable login credentials via WatchESPN / ESPN app. If you don’t have cable, you can sign up for fuboTV and Sling (or use their free trial) to watch online.

Full Women’s College World Series Schedule (All times EST)

Thursday, June 3

Game 1: Oklahoma vs. James Madison | Noon | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Game 2: Georgia vs. Oklahoma State | 2:30 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Game 3: Arizona vs. Alabama | 7 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Game 4: Florida State vs. UCLA | 9:30 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Friday, June 4

Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner | 7 p.m. | TV: ESPNU | Stream: fuboTV

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner | 9:30 p.m. | TV: ESPNU | Stream: fuboTV

Saturday, June 5

Game 7: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser | 12 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Game 8: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser | 2:30 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Game 9: Game 6 loser vs. Game 7 winner | 7 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Game 10: Game 5 loser vs. Game 8 winner | 9:30 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Sunday, June 6

Game 11: Game 5 winner vs. Game 9 winner | 1 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Game 12: Game 6 winner vs. Game 10 winner | 3:30 p.m | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

*Game 13: Game 11 teams (if necessary) | 7 p.m. | TV: ESPN2 | Stream: fuboTV

*Game 14: Game 12 teams (if necessary) | 9:30 p.m. | TV: ESPN2 | Stream: fuboTV

World Series Finals

Game 1: 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 7 | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

Game 2: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 8 | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

*Game 3: 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 9 | TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV

*If necessary

More coverage via the Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Top seed Oklahoma and 2019 national champion UCLA highlight the Women’s College World Series field.

Last year’s event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, UCLA defeated Oklahoma in the best-of-three championship series to claim its 13th national title and 12th NCAA championship.

USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City has been expanded to a capacity of 13,000 this year — an increase of 4,000. This year’s double-elimination bracket action begins Thursday and the championship series will start June 7.

Oklahoma will open against James Madison on Thursday. The Sooners won national titles in 2000, 2013, 2016 and 2017 and were runners-up in 2012 and 2019. James Madison qualified for the first time after topping Missouri twice in a best-of-three super regionals.

The Oklahoma-James Madison winner will play either No. 5 seed Oklahoma State or Georgia on Friday. If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State win their openers, the rivals would face off in a World Series game for the second time. Last time, Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 6-1 in a winner’s bracket game in 2019.

Oklahoma State advanced to the WCWS by defeating fellow Big 12 member Texas twice in the super regionals.

UCLA is on the other half of the bracket. The Bruins, who feature two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Rachel Garcia, will open against No. 10 seed Florida State. The winner will face No. 3 seed Alabama or No. 11 seed Arizona on Friday.