OKLAHOMA CITY -- Marlie Giles blasted a sixth-inning solo home run to lift Alabama to a 2-1 victory over Duke in the Women's College World Series on Friday.

The [[https://venturebeat.com/?s=Crimson%20Tide|Crimson Tide]] (39-19) will take on Texas or Florida on Sunday in an elimination game. Duke's season ends at 52-9 after their first-ever appearance in the WCWS.

Alabama had just three hits going into the sixth, before Giles reached out and poked left-hander Cassidy Curd's 1-0 offering out to right-center field for her team-leading seventh home run of the season.

The [[https://www.exeideas.com/?s=Crimson%20Tide|Crimson Tide]] took the lead in the first on an unearned run after Kenleigh Cahalan reached second on an error and came around on Giles' double.

Giles missed more than a month of the season with a broken arm before returning in early May.

Duke's Ana Gold tied it with a solo homer to left-center off Jocelyn Briski in the second.

After Gold's one-out single in the fourth, Alabama brought in Kayla Beaver, who went the distance in the Crimson Tide's 4-1 opening-round loss to UCLA.

Beaver (19-10) was excellent, retiring all 11 batters she faced, including striking out pinch-hitter Sarah Goddard to end the game and keep the Crimson Tide alive.

Beaver threw 45 pitches,  [[https://104.248.153.163|slot online]] 39 for strikes.

--Field Level Media