| BSB/SB BAMA Claims 14th-Consecutive NCAA Regional Title With 6-0 Shutout Over Oregon State

UA Press Release

UA Press Release

Official News Releases
Staff
#12 ALABAMA (33-18) vs. MIDDLE TENNESSEE (39-20)
2018 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Rhoads Stadium
Friday, May 18 – 8:30 p.m. CT
TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday, May 18
  • 6 p.m. CT – Wisconsin vs. Oregon State
  • 8:30 p.m. CT – Middle Tennessee vs. Alabama
Saturday, May 19
  • 1:30 p.m. CT – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
  • 4 p.m. CT – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
  • 6:30 p.m. CT – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
Sunday, May 20
  • 1:30 p.m. CT - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
  • (if necessary) 4 p.m. CT – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6
SCOUTING ALABAMA
  • Alabama is 33-18 heading into NCAA Tournament play after defeating Auburn in the opening round of last weekend's SEC Tournament before falling to eventual tournament champion Florida in the quarterfinals.
  • The Crimson Tide earned a No. 12 seed for the 2018 NCAA Tournament, making its 20th-consecutive appearance and its 14th-straight as a host seed. Alabama is ranked No. 13 in both national polls and is No. 16 in the NCAA RPI ranking.
  • This year's NCAA Tournament appearance marks the 20th-consecutive appearance for Alabama. The Tide has hosted 16 regional rounds, including a streak of 14-straight.
  • Freshman Kaylee Tow leads the offense with 48 hits and a .350 batting average. Her 35 walks are tied for the team lead with sophomore Bailey Hemphill and her 31 RBIs are tied for second with sophomore Gabby Callaway. Hemphill leads the team in the power numbers, slugging 12 home runs and posting 41 RBIs. Sophomore Elissa Brown is 41-119 (.345) as the Tide's primary leadoff hitter, stealing 26 bases in 30 attempts.
  • Senior Alexis Osorio is 13-9 with a team-leading 2.22 ERA and 203 strikeouts over 148.1 innings pitched. Junior Courtney Gettins also has 13 wins this season in 24 appearances, tossing 115.0 innings.
LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMA DEFEATS AUBURN, FALLS TO FLORIDA AT SEC TOURNAMENT
  • GAME ONE: ALABAMA 6, AUBURN 4: Alabama and Auburn each scored two runs in the first inning, with the Tide's runs coming off a two-run home run from sophomore Bailey Hemphill. A two-run home run in the top of the fifth gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead but Alabama immediately answered with three in the bottom of the fifth and an insurance run in the sixth to take the score to its final tally, 6-4. In addition to Hemphill, sophomore Elissa Brownalso drove in a pair of runs on a game-tying double in the fifth inning. Junior Merris Schroder went 2-for-3 batting eighth, driving in the final run of the day for Alabama with an RBI single in the sixth. Senior Alexis Osorio started the game but exited after Auburn took a 4-2 lead. Freshman Madison Preston threw 2.0 shutout innings in relief to earn the win while Osorio eventually re-entered to secure the final two outs and earn her fifth save of the season.
  • GAME TWO: FLORIDA 5, ALABAMA 2: Alabama got on the board first with a pair of runs in the first inning before Florida came back to tie it in the fourth inning with a two-run home run. With the score still tied in the bottom of the sixth, another home run for the Gators gave them a 5-2 lead, which proved final. The Tide tallied four hits in the loss, driving in its two runs on an RBI groundout from freshman Kaylee Tow and a sacrifice fly from sophomore Gabby Callaway. Alabama starter Courtney Gettins threw 4.0 innings in the start but did not factor into the decision, with senior Alexis Osorio taking the loss in relief.
ALABAMA IN NCAA REGIONALS
  • Alabama has made 20-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, a streak that started in head coach Patrick Murphy's first season at the helm in 1999. The Tide has hosted a regional round every year since 2005 and has won 13 straight, the longest active streak in Division-I softball.
  • The Tide is 89-38 (.701) in NCAA Tournament play, including a 53-9 (.855) mark in reigonal play and 46-3 (.939) mark at home in regionals. Alabama has not lost a game in the regional round since 2007, a streak of 34-straight.
  • Only seven other Division-I softball teams besides Alabama own an active NCAA Tournament appearance streak of at least 20 years: Arizona (32), Oklahoma (25), Washington (25), Michigan (23), UCLA (20), Louisiana (20) and Notre Dame (20).
ALABAMA PLACES FOUR ON 2018 POSTSEASON ALL-SEC TEAMS
Four Alabama softball standouts were among those voted to the 2018 Southeastern Conference postseason awards list. Freshman Kaylee Tow earned First Team All-SEC recognition and a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team, while senior Alexis Osorio and sophomores Elissa Brown and Bailey Hemphill made the All-SEC second team.
  • The four honorees are the most for the Crimson Tide since 2015 and brings the program's total to 97 in its 22-year history. Alabama has had at least one player selected to the league's postseason team every year since its inaugural 1997 season.
  • Tow was one of just two freshmen on the league's first team. She is the first Tide position player to earn first team recognition as a freshman since Kayla Braud in 2010. She is the 20th Alabama player to earn SEC All-Freshman accolades since its introduction in 2005, including six in the last four years.
  • This year's award is the third of Osorio's career, earning first team honors as a freshman in 2015 and second team accolades last season.
  • This is the first career All-SEC appearance for Brown and Hemphill, who both appeared on last year's SEC All-Freshman team.
ALABAMA IN THE NCAA RPI
  • Alabama is No. 16 in this week's NCAA RPI.
  • The Tide only has two losses outside the top 25, against Northwestern (37) and Ole Miss (40).
  • Alabama's lowest-ranked loss is Ole Miss at 40. Only Washington (Arizona State - 7) and Oregon (Ole Miss - 40) have their lowest-ranked loss at or better than 40.
  • The Tide has played 28 games against top-25 opponents this season. Of teams ranked in the top 20, this is tied with Tennessee and South Carolina for second-highest total behind Florida (33).
  • Averaging out the losses of teams in the top 20, Alabama scores the second-best average of 13.111, only trailing Washington (2.875) with LSU in third (13.714). The average for all the teams in the top 20 combined is 21.337.
ALABAMA BREAKS PREVIOUS ATTENDANCE AVERAGE RECORD
A crowd of 3,000-plus fans took in the regular season finale at Rhoads Stadium on Sunday, May 6 vs. Texas A&M, giving the Tide a season average attendance of 3,043. This marks a new NCAA record, breaking Alabama's previous best mark of 3,033 set in 2016. Nine of the 12 conference games at Rhoads Stadium this season saw crowds above 3,000, including an NCAA-best 3,940 in game one of the Tennessee series.
HEMPHILL HAMMERING IT FOLLOWING INJURY
Sophomore Bailey Hemphill sustained a foot injury in the series finale at Arkansas on April 15, forcing her to miss six games before returning to the starting lineup in the final game of the Georgia series two weeks later. Her first at-bat against the Bulldogs was a two-run home run, setting the stage for a power surge since her return. In the six games since returning from injury, Hemphill is 6-for-11 (.545) with four home runs, 10 RBIs, seven walks and five runs scored. Almost half of her team-leading 12 home runs have come over this stretch and nearly a quarter of her 41 RBIs.
TOW AMONG FRESHMAN HOME RUN LEADERS AT UA
Freshman Kaylee Tow's home run in game two of the Texas A&M series was her 11th of the season. This is the most home runs hit for a Crimson Tide freshman since Reagan Dykes in 2016 and is tied for the fourth-most from any UA freshman.
Most Home Runs as a Freshman at UA
  1. 25 - Kelly Kretschman (1998)
  2. 13 - Jaclyn Traina (2011)
  3. 12 - Reagan Dykes (2016), Stephanie VanBrakle (2003)
  4. 11 - Kaylee Tow (2018), Charlotte Morgan (2007)
OSORIO CLIMBS CAREER STRIKEOUTS LIST AT UA
With her 14th and final strikeout in game one against Tennessee, senior Alexis Osorio became the fourth player in program history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts. She is the first Tide pitcher to reach the milestone since Kelsi Dunne (2008-11). She moved to fourth all-time at Alabama following the road series at Arkansas, passing three-time All-American Jaclyn Traina (2011-14), and is now eight away from tying Shelley Laird's (1999-2002) third-place total.
Alabama Career Strikeout Leaders
  1. Kelsi Dunne (2008-11): 1,219
  2. Stephanie VanBrakle (2003-06): 1,113
  3. Shelley Laird (1999-2002): 1,045
  4. Alexis Osorio (2015-pres.): 1,037
  5. Jaclyn Traina (2011-14): 976
UP NEXT
The winner of the Tuscaloosa regional will face off against the winner of the Seattle regional, which features fifth-seed Washington, Minnesota, Texas and Boise State.

Alabama Softball Opens Tuscaloosa Regional Friday vs. Middle Tennessee - Alabama Athletics
 
Alabama Softball: Tide, Badgers, MTSU streak into regional


TUSCALOOSA —Alabama's softball team enters the postseason on a hot streak, having won five of six, and will attempt to maintain another streak when it hosts Middle Tennessee State tonight.

The Crimson Tide has won 34 straight regional games in 14 straight regional tournaments as the host team, dating to 2007.

“I think we’re peaking at the right time,” said the Tide's sophomore leadoff hitter, Elissa Brown. “... We started off struggling a little bit, but we’re on the rise and really excited for the rest of the season because we’ve all been working really hard and are ready to see where this postseason takes us.”

No. 12 Alabama (33-18) hosts MTSU in the second game of the Tuscaloosa Regional at 8:30 p.m., following a 6 p.m. first pitch between Wisconsin and Oregon State.

Tonight’s winners play at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the regional semifinal.

Middle Tennessee State (39-20) also enters on a hot streak, having won all five games as the sixth seed in the Conference USA Tournament just to get this far, becoming the lowest seed to claim the conference's tournament title.

“MTSU you could say is one of the hottest teams in the country right now, they had to win their conference tournament,” longtime Tide head coach Patrick Murphey said. “Shoot, they threw a 2-hitter, a no-hitter and had to beat the No. 1 (seeded) team (Florida Atlantic) twice (in the CUSA Tournament final) with their backs against the wall.”

Wisconsin is also on a tear, winning seven of its last 10, including a series sweep of Nebraska, to earn its seventh consecutive NCAA bid.

“I think it kind of shows that in a season how there are so many ups and downs, and once you start riding that win streak and getting a lot of wins going, I think that just kind of shows how the ball can fall anyway, and it can go to any team,” said Badgers senior Kelsey Jenkins. “Whoever comes out and competes the best and clearly with us and (Alabama and MTSU), something’s going right for us and we want to ride it all the way into the tournament.”
.
By Alex Byington Sports Writer
Alabama Softball: Tide, Badgers, MTSU streak into regional
 
Alabama Softball Posts Second Regional Run-Rule, Defeating Wisconsin, 9-1

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball earned its second run-rule victory in as many days at the Tuscaloosa Regional, defeating Wisconsin, 9-1, Saturday in five innings to advance to Sunday's championship game.

Alabama (35-18) and Wisconsin (29-22) only played one inning before rain and lighting entered the area, forcing a three-hour weather delay. Upon resumption, the Crimson Tide scored three in the third inning before the Badgers answered with its first run of the day in the bottom-half of the inning. A six-run fifth inning for Alabama put the game out of reach as Wisconsin went down in order in the bottom half to secure the run-rule victory.

The top of the order was again strong for the Tide, with the first four batters going a combined 4-for-8 with five runs scored and three RBIs. Sophomore Bailey Hemphill'slone hit of the day was a two-run home run, her team-leading 13th of the season. Senior Demi Turner posted her second-straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Junior Reagan Dykes hit the Tide's second home run of the day, a three-run shot in the fifth inning, to back up her strong defensive effort behind the plate with a caught stealing a heads-up double play.

Senior Alexis Osorio (14-9) needed just 83 pitches over 5.0 innings to earn the win, fanning seven while allowing just one run on one hit. The run was just the second allowed in regional play over her four-year career and the first earned run.

After each team went three up, three down in the first, Hemphill drew a leadoff walk in the top of the second. Freshman KB Sides, pinch-running for Hemphill, dashed to second on what ended up as ball four to sophomore Gabby Callawayat the plate and the Wisconsin catcher threw down to second but no one was covering the bag, allowing Sides to advance to third on the error.

With runners at first and third and nobody out, lightning in the area forced a three-hour delay before play resumed. Back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout got Wisconsin out of the inning as Alabama stranded a pair on base. The Badgers got a runner to third with one out in the bottom half of the inning but Dykes ended the inning with a spectacular double play, fielding the popup behind the plate and firing to third to catch the runner off the bag.

Sophomore Claire Jenkins reached base safely on a fielding error to lead off the third and then advanced to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Turner made the first hit of the game a big one, popping an RBI triple into the left field gap to give Alabama a 1-0 lead. Later with two out, Hemphill bashed a two-run home run to left field, increasing the lead to 3-0.

After back-to-back strikeouts to start the bottom of the third, Wisconsin reached on a hit-by-pitch and the runner stole second in the next at-bat. Turning back to the top of the order, Kelsey Jenkins drove her in with an RBI single to cut the Badgers' deficit to 3-1. A great throw-and-catch from Dykes to Booker covering second caught Jenkins stealing to end the inning.

Sophomore Elissa Brown led off the top of the fifth with a single to left before stealing second. Turner followed with an infield single and freshman Kaylee Tow laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the pair into scoring position. Wisconsin intentionally walked Hemphill to load the bases with one out but another walk to Callaway moved everyone up 60 feet and allowed another run to cross and make it 4-1. Yet another bases-loaded walk made it 5-1 before Wisconsin made a pitching change. Junior Merris Schroder added another run with a sacrifice fly and then, on a full count, Dykes blasted a three-run home run to left field to swell the lead to 9-1. A popup ended the half-inning and Wisconsin went down in order in the bottom half as the Tide secured its second run-rule victory in as many days.

With the win, Alabama advances to Sunday's 1:30 p.m. CT championship game against the winner of tonight's 6:30 p.m. CT game.

Alabama Softball Posts Second Regional Run-Rule, Defeating Wisconsin, 9-1 - Alabama Athletics
 
Alabama Softball Claims 14th-Consecutive NCAA Regional Title With 6-0 Shutout Over Oregon State

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball secured its 16th NCAA Regional title, including an NCAA-best streak of 14-straight, with a 6-0 shutout over Oregon State Sunday at Rhoads Stadium. With the win, the Crimson Tide advances to its 14th-straight NCAA Super Regional round.

The regional title is the 16th for Alabama in its 22-year history and its 14th-straight, the longest active streak in Division-I softball. This weekend's three-game sweep increases the Tide's regional win streak to 37 games, also an NCAA-best.

Alabama will now advance to its 14th-straight super regional round, continuing its streak as the only team in the country to play in all 14 rounds since its inception in 2005. The Tide will face the winner of the Seattle regional between fifth-seeded Washington and Minnesota. Game dates and times will be announced upon completion of all regional games.

Alabama (36-18), took the first lead of the game over Oregon State (30-28) with a two-run double from sophomore Bailey Hemphill in the first inning. Both teams went down in order until the fifth inning, when the Tide doubled its lead with a pair of RBI singles from sophomore Elissa Brown and senior Demi Turner, who each tallied a pair of hits batting at the top of the order. The final blow came in the top of the sixth, a two-run home run from junior Merris Schroder, before senior Alexis Osorio (15-9) shut the door with a scoreless sixth and seventh to complete the 6-0 win.

Osorio threw 6.1 hitless innings before giving up a lone single in the seventh, striking out nine while holding the Beavers out of the run column. The top of the order was again a catalyst for the Tide offense, with Brown and Turner scoring a combined three runs and Hemphill driving in a pair.

Mother nature struck again before either team could even take the field, with lightning in the area forcing the game to start three hours behind schedule. The delay didn't slow down the Alabama offense, as Brown drew a four-pitch walk to start the game and Turner followed with a single to left. Freshman Kaylee Tow laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the pair into scoring position and Hemphill drove them both home with a two-run double to the left-field corner, giving Alabama the early 2-0 lead.

From that point on, the two teams cruised through three innings without anyone reaching base before senior Sydney Booker drew a one-out walk in the top of the fifth. She stole second and third base before coming home on a two-out RBI single from Brown. After stealing second, Brown scored a run on an RBI single from Turner with the lead now 4-0.

With a runner at second and two out in the top of the sixth, Schroder went opposite field for a two-run home run to swell the lead to 6-0. With the score the same in the bottom of the seventh, Oregon State knocked a one-out single into left field to break up Osorio's no-hit bid but a pair of strikeouts ended it.

For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on Twitter, BamaSB on Instagram and Alabama Softball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.

Alabama Softball Claims 14th-Consecutive NCAA Regional Title With 6-0 Shutout Over Oregon State - Alabama Athletics
 

Similar threads

UA Press Release
| NEWS ⚽ Alabama Soccer - 2024 ⚽ : Tide moves to 6-1 with a 1-0 road win over Purdue
Replies
9
Views
465
bama alum
bama alum
UA Press Release
  • Article
| NEWS No. 8 Alabama Headed to Michigan for 2024 NCAA Regional Championships
Replies
3
Views
272
TerryP
TerryP
UA Press Release
  • Article
| MBB/WBB 🏀 🏆: SWEET 16! Alabama Advances to Second Consecutive NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with 72-61 Win over No. 12 Grand Canyon
9 10 11
Replies
219
Views
5K
Rolltide24
R
UA Press Release
  • Article
| BSB/SB 🥎 BAMA Battles to 4-3 Wednesday Win over UAB
Replies
8
Views
374
UA Press Release
UA Press Release
Brandon Van de Graaff
| BSB/SB ⚾ Baseball Regional: Alabama gets eliminated by Stetson with 4-0 loss. Season = Over
    • Roll Tide!
2 3
Replies
57
Views
2K
Brandon Van de Graaff
Brandon Van de Graaff
Back
Top Bottom