Marlie Giles set the tone with a three-run homer to lift Alabama into the Women’s College World Series semifinals with a 5-1 defeat of Nebraska Saturday night in Oklahoma City.

That alone proved to be enough for Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski, who threw a complete-game one-hitter to move the Crimson Tide (56-7) one win away from the WCWS Championship Series.

Giles added a run on a sacrifice fly, finishing with four RBIs. Leadoff hitter Jena Young was 2-for-2 with an RBI single.

Lauren Camenzind provided the only hit for Nebraska (52-8), a fourth-inning solo homer. Jordy Frahm allowed three runs over two innings in her start. She was replaced by Alexis Jensen, who struck out six over four innings but allowed two unearned runs on two hits.

Despite putting the first two batters of the home first inning on base, the Crimson Tide seemed destined to come up empty after consecutive strikeouts. Giles made sure that wasn’t the case, smashing a first-pitch homer over the wall in center to open a 3-0 lead.

Briski retired the first 11 batters of the game before allowing her lone hit and run on Camenzind’s homer. She followed by retiring 10 of the final 12 batters she faced, with the only two baserunners reaching on errors. Briski struck out six and gave up no free passes to improve to 25-3.

Nebraska, which had a 27-game win streak snapped, faces Texas Sunday in an elimination game for the right to face Tennessee in the semifinals. Alabama awaits the winner of Sunday’s other elimination game between Texas Tech and UCLA for a Monday semifinal.

–Field Level Media

Ronald Acuna Jr. launched a pair of home runs on Saturday night to help the visiting Atlanta Braves post a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Acuna tallied his first multi-homer game of the year, hitting his third and fourth home runs in the last three games after he had just two in his first 42 games. Jorge Mateo and Matt Olson each added a solo homer for the Braves, who won their fourth game in five tries and became the first team in the majors to reach 40 wins.

Martin Perez (3-3) allowed two runs on four hits over five innings, striking out a pair and walking three.

Raisel Iglesias completed his 10th save in as many tries with a perfect ninth inning. The Braves improved to 33-0 this season when leading after eight innings.

Brady Singer (2-5) yielded three runs on four hits in five innings, walking four and striking out two. JJ Bleday hit a two-run homer for the Reds, who dropped their third straight and fell to 9-17 in the month of May.

Ozzie Albies began the second inning with a double and scored the game’s first run on Mike Yastrzemski’s RBI single.

The Reds took their first lead of the series in the bottom of the second, as Spencer Steer’s walk was followed by Bleday’s ninth homer of the season to give Cincinnati a 2-1 edge.

Acuna knotted the score in the third with his first homer of the day.

Mateo launched his third homer of the year in the top of the fifth, restoring Atlanta’s lead.

Singer then walked Acuna, Michael Harris II and Olson to load the bases with two outs. Albies popped out to end the jam.

Tejay Antone threw a scoreless sixth in relief of Singer.

Tyler Kinley took over for Perez in the bottom of the sixth, throwing just six pitches in a perfect frame.

Olson doubled the Atlanta lead with a solo blast in the seventh off reliever Brock Burke before Acuna’s 405-foot homer in the ninth off Lyon Richardson pushed the margin to three.

–Field Level Media

Dennis Hull, a five-time All-Star forward for the Chicago Blackhawks and the younger brother of Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, died on Saturday, the team announced. He was 81.

No other details were given with the announcement from Blackhawks owner and CEO Danny Wirtz.

“The Chicago Blackhawks are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dennis Hull earlier this morning,” Wirtz said. “Dennis enjoyed a distinguished career built on his scoring ability and consistency, leaving lasting contributions not only to the Blackhawks franchise but to the game itself.”

Hull played the first 13 of his 14 NHL seasons with Chicago (1964-77) before finishing his career with the Detroit Red Wings in 1977-78 after a trade.

He played in five All-Star Games, including four consecutive seasons from the 1970-71 through 1973-74 campaigns, and was selected a second-team NHL All-Star in the 1972-73 season.

Hull totaled 654 points (303 goals, 351 assists) and a plus-22 rating in 959 regular-season games. He also recorded 67 points (33 goals, 34 assists) in 104 playoff games. He played for the Blackhawks in three Stanley Cup Finals (1965, 1971, 1973).

on behalf of the Wirtz family and Chicago Blackhawks organization, we mourn the passing of Dennis Hull??

we extend our deepest condolences to the Hull family during this time.https://t.co/oafhCuX63g pic.twitter.com/ZptDCBfGfS

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) May 31, 2026

“Known around the league for his immense skill, toughness and intelligence, Dennis was as dominant on the ice as he was beloved off it,” Wirtz said. “He often drew on his sharp wit and sense of humor to keep the locker room loose, while his warmth and humility made everyone he met feel welcome.

“On behalf of the Wirtz family and the entire Blackhawks organization, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Dennis’s family, friends and teammates, and the many fans who adored him.”

A native of Point Anne, Ontario, Canada, Hull was nicknamed the “Silver Jet” as his brother Bobby was the “Golden Jet.” Bobby Hull, who died in January 2023 at age 84, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.

Dennis Hull played for Canada against the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series and totaled two goals and two assists in four appearances as Canada triumphed.

–Field Level Media