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South Carolina vs. UCLA softball: ESPN broadcast explains controversial collision, call between Jessica Clements, Ella Chancey

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs05/25/25grant_grubbs_
Sam Gress, Ella Chancey (Katie Dugan/GamecockCentral)
Sam Gress, Ella Chancey (Katie Dugan/GamecockCentral)

In the fifth inning of UCLA and South Carolina‘s Game 3 showdown in the Columbia Super Regional, controversy erupted after the Gamecocks’ Ella Chancey was called for obstruction after getting in the path of Bruins baserunner Jessica Clements. Clements was attempting to run home, but collided with Chancey after the ball slipped through her legs toward UCLA’s dugout.

Thankfully for the Gamecocks, Clements was forced to return to third base after an umpire review. The ESPN2 broadcast team explained the unusual situation.

“It gets by Chancey. It’s obstruction on the defense,” the commentator said. “Chancey isn’t involved in the play once it gets by her, so Clements tries to go home. But the thing is, that makes it where she has to go back to third, is that Sam Gress is in the position to be able to cover third.

“So she’s going to be able to get to that ball, to be able to toss the ball home, and that’s why she stays at third base. If Sam Gress did not cover home and it got by Chancey, Clements would have been awarded home. It’s at the discretion of the umpires if the runner would be safe or out at the base, and she would have been dead out if Gress got to make that toss over.”

Clements didn’t have to wait long to have another chance to cross home plate. On the Bruins’ next at-bat, Jordan Woolery hit a grounder toward right field. UCLA scored to take a 2-0 lead in the game.

UCLA is riding its momentum from Game 2, when it defeated South Carolina in narrow 5-4 fashion. It was a brutal loss for the Gamecocks, who led the entire game until  UCLA’s Jordan Woolery hit a two-run walk-off home run to left field.

At the time of the walk-off bomb, UCLA trailed by a run and had two outs. Nonetheless, with their backs against the wall, the Bruins delivered. Now, they’re looking to come up clutch once again and advance to the Women’s College World Series.

It’d be familiar territory for the Bruins, who, as a program, boast 32 WCWS appearances and 12 national titles, the most of any school in the country. UCLA last won the WCWS in 2019 and will look to reach its former heights if it can defeat South Carolina on Sunday.