Alabama Softball’s Season Ends in NCAA Regional in Norman

NORMAN, Okla. - Alabama's season came to an end in Game 2 of the NCAA Norman Super Regional matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners. The 13-2 win advanced the four-time defending National Champions to their ninth consecutive Women's College World Series (WCWS) and their 18th appearance in program history.

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The game began with a slow start from the Sooners but quickly saw them take over in the top of the second after an RBI single scored their first run, making it 1-0. The Crimson Tide's defense managed to prevent two runners on base from scoring, ending the inning. In the bottom of the second, the Crimson Tide attempted to tie the game or take the lead after Salen Hawkins hit a stand-up double with one out. However, the Crismon Tide was unsuccessful, leaving two runners stranded.

The Sooners took control in the third inning, ignited by Gabbie Garcia's two-run homer with one out. The Crimson Tide then replaced Catelyn Riley with Jocelyn Briski to try and break the Sooners' momentum, but Briski struggled. The Sooners' Ailana Agbayani laid down a bunt on Briski's first pitch, bringing another runner home and making it 4-0. Isabela Emerling followed with an RBI single, pushing the lead to 5-0. Amid the chaos, Abigale Dayton drove in two more runs to make it 7-0, and Ella Parker added another RBI double, extending the lead to 9-0. Alabama made three pitching changes (Riley, Briski, Riley, and Alea Johnson) in an attempt to stop the Sooners' eight-run surge. In the bottom of the third, Kali Heivilin hit a solo home run, putting the Crimson Tide on the board 9-1.

In the fourth inning, Marlie Giles tried to rally her team with a solo home run, cutting the score to 9-2. However, the Sooners quickly hit the home run button once they got to the plate in the fifth inning. Parker got her second home run of the game to put the Sooners up 10-2. Following her homer, Garcia delivered her second two-run homer of the game to push the Sooners to 12-2. Emily Winstead then entered the game for the Crismon Tide, but another Sooners batter hit a home run, increasing their lead to 13-2.

The Crismon Tide had a final opportunity to score and extend their season, with Lauren Johnson and Heivilin hitting consecutive two-out singles. However, the effort wasn't enough, and the Sooners came out with a run-rule victory.