The Alabama Crimson Tide are nearing a place in the Women’s College World Series for the 16th time in program history. Coach Patrick Murphy’s team are competing against the LSU Tigers at Rhoads Stadium in the NCAA Softball Tournament’s Tuscaloosa Super Regional.
Crimson Tide’s Game 1 Victory
Alabama (53-7), the No. 1 national seed in the tournament, secured a 7-0 victory in Game 1 on Friday. They are also ranked No. 3 in the NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. Jena Young and Audrey Vandagriff continued their impressive postseason form, each picking up their seventh hits since the NCAA Tournament began.
Vandagriff’s single in the first inning provided Alabama with an early 2-0 lead. Young extended the lead in the fourth with a bases-clearing double, scoring three runs. Alexis Pupillo contributed with her 18th home run of the season in a 2-for-4 performance.
Jocelyn Briski (23-3) pitched a one-hit shutout, her second straight since the tournament began. The right-hander struck out 11 batters and lowered her ERA to 1.32. Briski retired the final 21 batters she faced after allowing a leadoff double to Jalia Lassiter in the first inning. The seven-inning game marked Briski’s 15th complete game of the season.
LSU’s Game 2 Strategy
LSU (40-18) will turn to left-hander Jayden Heavener in the circle. Heavener leads the Tigers with a 2.75 ERA this season. In her last appearance on May 15, she held Akron to three hits in six scoreless innings when LSU blanked Akron, 8-0, to open the Baton Rouge Regional.
Alabama are turning to right-hander Vic Moten (20-4, 1.66 ERA) for Game 2. The freshman fired six innings of one-hit ball against USC Upstate in the Tuscaloosa Regional final last Sunday. She struck out five batters without allowing a walk.
Game 2 Interrupted
Game 2 saw a weather delay. The umpires cleared the field due to lightning in the area, resulting in a 30-minute delay, with additional delays for any further lightning strikes.
The Crimson Tide currently lead the Tigers, 4-1.
- Pupillo hit her 19th homer leading off the inning.
- Vandagriff picked up her 12th hit of the NCAA Tournament with a single to right with two down.
- Ambrey Taylor recorded her first hit of the tournament with a double.
- Salen Hawkins extended the lead to 4-1 with a two-run single.
Heavener has thrown 71 pitches through four innings after Alabama sent seven batters to the plate and scored three runs on four hits.
Starting lineups will be announced closer to game time.