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Alabama softball is more than capable of making a run for the Women’s College World Series.
Don’t let the Crimson Tide’s loss to Texas in the SEC Softball Tournament championship game fool you. Alabama still enters the NCAA Tournament with the strongest team in the country, with the pitching, lineup and now home-field advantage needed to survive the first two weekends.
Alabama (49-7) earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, putting the Crimson Tide in position to host both a regional and, if it advances, a super regional at Rhoads Stadium.
The Crimson Tide is looking to reach the Women’s College World Series for the 16th time in program history and for the first time in two years. Alabama has won one national championship, which came in 2012.
Here's how we think Alabama softball will make it to the Women's College World Series.
With as much of a gauntlet SEC softball has been this season, Alabama's conference championship loss makes the path toward getting to the Women's College World Series seem like small potatoes.
Alabama is coming off a 7-1 loss to Texas in the SEC Tournament championship game on Saturday, May 9. The Crimson Tide took an early lead, but Texas scored seven unanswered runs to win its first SEC Tournament title in its second year in the conference.
Alabama now opens the Tuscaloosa Regional against USC Upstate (36-21) on Friday, May 15 at noon CT. The regional field also includes Belmont (40-11) and Southeastern Louisiana (46-14), with games running May 15-17 in a double-elimination format.
Hosting the opening weekend is a major advantage for Alabama, which has made Rhoads Stadium one of college softball’s toughest environments. If the Crimson Tide advances, it would also host a Super Regional, giving Alabama a chance to reach Oklahoma City without leaving Tuscaloosa.
The Tuscaloosa Regional is paired with the Baton Rouge Regional, led by No. 16 overall seed LSU. That side of the bracket also includes Virginia Tech, South Alabama and Akron.
Belmont may be Alabama’s toughest test in the Tuscaloosa Regional, with ace Maya Johnson bringing a 27-2 record, 0.66 ERA and nation-leading 381 strikeouts to Rhoads Stadium. Southeastern Louisiana is not an easy out either after winning its first regular-season conference title and leading the nation in triples.
Alabama’s path is manageable, but only if it does not let up, especially with a potential super regional matchup against SEC-tested LSU waiting on the other side of the weekend.
The Crimson Tide has the pitching depth for a postseason run with Jocelyn Briski, Vic Moten and Kaitlyn Pallozzi, but the lineup has to support it early. Alabama cannot afford too many slow starts or late-inning toss-ups now that one bad game can quickly change its path.
Alabama has lost consecutive games just once this season, dropping back-to-back road games at Tennessee on April 26-27. The Crimson Tide should have a strong chance to advance if it avoids letting one bad game become two.
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama softball prediction for Women's College World Series
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Don’t let the Crimson Tide’s loss to Texas in the SEC Softball Tournament championship game fool you. Alabama still enters the NCAA Tournament with the strongest team in the country, with the pitching, lineup and now home-field advantage needed to survive the first two weekends.
Alabama (49-7) earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, putting the Crimson Tide in position to host both a regional and, if it advances, a super regional at Rhoads Stadium.
The Crimson Tide is looking to reach the Women’s College World Series for the 16th time in program history and for the first time in two years. Alabama has won one national championship, which came in 2012.
Here's how we think Alabama softball will make it to the Women's College World Series.
Can Alabama softball make it to the Women's College World Series?
With as much of a gauntlet SEC softball has been this season, Alabama's conference championship loss makes the path toward getting to the Women's College World Series seem like small potatoes.
Alabama is coming off a 7-1 loss to Texas in the SEC Tournament championship game on Saturday, May 9. The Crimson Tide took an early lead, but Texas scored seven unanswered runs to win its first SEC Tournament title in its second year in the conference.
Alabama now opens the Tuscaloosa Regional against USC Upstate (36-21) on Friday, May 15 at noon CT. The regional field also includes Belmont (40-11) and Southeastern Louisiana (46-14), with games running May 15-17 in a double-elimination format.
Hosting the opening weekend is a major advantage for Alabama, which has made Rhoads Stadium one of college softball’s toughest environments. If the Crimson Tide advances, it would also host a Super Regional, giving Alabama a chance to reach Oklahoma City without leaving Tuscaloosa.
The Tuscaloosa Regional is paired with the Baton Rouge Regional, led by No. 16 overall seed LSU. That side of the bracket also includes Virginia Tech, South Alabama and Akron.
Belmont may be Alabama’s toughest test in the Tuscaloosa Regional, with ace Maya Johnson bringing a 27-2 record, 0.66 ERA and nation-leading 381 strikeouts to Rhoads Stadium. Southeastern Louisiana is not an easy out either after winning its first regular-season conference title and leading the nation in triples.
Alabama’s path is manageable, but only if it does not let up, especially with a potential super regional matchup against SEC-tested LSU waiting on the other side of the weekend.
The Crimson Tide has the pitching depth for a postseason run with Jocelyn Briski, Vic Moten and Kaitlyn Pallozzi, but the lineup has to support it early. Alabama cannot afford too many slow starts or late-inning toss-ups now that one bad game can quickly change its path.
Alabama has lost consecutive games just once this season, dropping back-to-back road games at Tennessee on April 26-27. The Crimson Tide should have a strong chance to advance if it avoids letting one bad game become two.
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama softball prediction for Women's College World Series
Continue reading...
