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Alabama beat Oklahoma 6-2 in Women’s CWS

By WTOP Staff

MURRAY EVANS
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jaclyn Traina threw a one-hitter, and Peyton Grantham and Jadyn Spencer both homered in second-seeded Alabama’s 6-2 victory over defending national champion Oklahoma on Thursday night in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series.

Alabama (51-11), which beat the Sooners for the 2012 national title, will play Kentucky on Friday. The Southeastern Conference powers didn’t meet during the regular season or the league tournament.

Oklahoma’s only hit off Traina (24-3) was a solo home run by the third batter, Shelby Pendley. Otherwise Traina — the winning pitcher for the Crimson Tide in the decisive game of the 2012 WCWS — kept the Sooners off balance, striking out nine.

“I was a little worried after she gave up that home run to Pendley in the first,” Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said. “I thought their crowd would really get into it. Then after that, it was vintage Jaclyn Traina. I thought she did a really good job against a very good hitting team. They’re very dangerous. They take their cuts and every time they swing, you hold your breath.”

Grantham hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to put Alabama up 4-2 and Spencer’s two-run shot in the fifth made it 6-2 and chased Oklahoma starter Kelsey Stevens (37-9).

After Pendley’s homer over the left-field fence, Alabama tied the game in the second when Kaila Hunt walked and scored on a bloop single down the right-field line by Marisa Runyon. The Crimson Tide stranded two runners.

Oklahoma (50-12) regained the lead thanks to two Alabama errors in the top of the fourth, with Erin Miller walking and eventually scoring after the Crimson Tide botched a pickoff play at first base.

But Hunt and Molly Finchter opened the bottom of the fourth with singles and one out later, Grantham delivered her fifth homer of the season, a shot to left-center field. In the fifth, Kallie Case singled to right with one out ahead of Spencer’s team-high 13th homer of the season, also to left-center.

“I just think everyone, at that point, you don’t let up,” Spencer said of her late-game mindset. “Oklahoma is a great team and you can’t really sit on a two-run lead like that. I think everyone in the lineup was just trying to pile it on and come out with a win.”

Traina issued five walks, but only one of those baserunners scored for the Sooners, who will play Louisiana-Lafayette in an elimination game Saturday.

“We’re a better team than that,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said. “I think myself and the entire team is disappointed with our offensive approach tonight. I guess the best way to say it is we were playing defense on offense. We’re better than that.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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