OKLAHOMA CITY — No. 2 Alabama’s 2-0 win over No. 14 Kentucky didn’t suffer from a lack of drama.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Crimson Tide was in jeopardy of a walk-off loss after the Wildcats hit three consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs.

All of this came after senior pitcher Jaclyn Traina pitched a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

“That’s why you play the game,” Traina said. “You play the game for those pressure situations, and I’ve gotten myself into those situations before and I felt like I knew I could get out of it. And [pitching coach Stephanie VanBrakle] came out to the pitcher’s mound, and she just told me the plan, and we went with it, and I just had confidence in my teammates and my pitches.”

With the bases loaded in the seventh, Traina struck out Kentucky’s Emily Gaines looking before Krystal Smith grounded into a game-ending double play.

Junior shortstop Danae Hays fielded the ball and tossed it to senior second baseman Kaila Hunt who got the out at second before firing down to first. Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy lauded Hunt’s decision to try to get the out at first. The throw to sophomore first baseman Leona Lafaele was in time, and the shutout was intact.

“In my head, I was just like, ‘Finish it. I don’t care if I have to do the splits for that ball, you finish that play. I don’t care if it’s in the dirt.’ I was going to get that ball,” Lafaele said. “Murph is right; a lot of girls wouldn’t turn that play so you have to finish it, and it just feels great because they’re such great teammates and I can’t even believe they turned that play, but all I could think was, ‘Finish it,’ and it was such a great way to finish that game.”

Traina (25-3) walked two runners in 5 2/3 innings before Kentucky’s Sylver Samuel laid down a bunt to reach first base. In seven innings, Traina allowed four hits and two walks and struck out six.

Alabama struck first with two outs in the top of the second with a two-run home run by Lafaele. Freshman Peyton Grantham singled up the middle the previous at bat, making way for Lafaele to hit her seventh home run of the season.

“Just an awesome game tonight,” Murphy said. “I thought it was a made-for-TV sporting event, the way it ended, the way it played out. Two really, really good teams with two really good pitchers going at it, and I couldn’t be more pleased to stay in the winner’s bracket.”

Alabama (52-11) will play again Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT. Its opponent will be determined by two Saturday games in the losers’ bracket.