Due to a mixture of missed pitches in the circle and missed opportunities at the plate, Alabama softball is now at risk of missing out on a trip to the Women’s College World Series for the first time in three years.
Alabama dropped its first game of the Norman Super Regional on Friday, suffering a 3-0 loss at four-time defending national champion Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide stranded seven batters on the afternoon, as Sooners ace Sam Landry pitched her way out of jams while frustrating Alabama’s lineup for a complete-game win.
Alabama left runners in scoring position in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings without getting on the board. The Tide moved a runner to third in the top of the fifth, but Landry was able to strike out No. 3 hitter Kali Heivilin with two outs to end the inning. Alexis Pupillo led off the top of the sixth with a double to right, but Alabama wasn’t able to capitalize, as Landry struck out the next two batters before escaping the jam by inducing a groundout to second.
Alabama batters routinely took Landry into deep counts, but the Louisiana transfer was able to battle out of them, allowing just four hits while striking out five batters over seven innings.
Alabama starter Jocelyn Briski also put in a solid effort in the circle, but her inability to locate her pitches at times proved costly. After pitching her way out of a jam in the bottom of the second inning, Briski was punished in the following frame. The sophomore began the bottom of the third by walking Oklahoma No. 9 hitter Abigale Dayton. The next pitch, Briski left a ball over the middle of the plate that Sooners’ leading hitter Kasidi Pickering smacked over the center field wall.
Briski gave up another run in the bottom of the fifth, giving up a two-out RBI single to pinch hitter Sydney Barker. The Alabama starter went five innings, allowing three runs on six hits with a strikeout and a walk. Alea Johnson pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Tide.
Alabama will now need to win back-to-back games against Oklahoma in order to advance to its third straight WCWS next week. Game 2 of the super regional is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on Saturday. The two teams will play in Game 3 on Sunday if necessary.
Alabama won last month’s regular-season series against Oklahoma in Tuscaloosa. The Tide dropped the opener before rallying back for a pair of victories, including a walk-off win in extra innings of the finale.
Oklahoma is 26-2 at home this season. The Sooners haven’t dropped consecutive games in Norman, Oklahoma, since suffering back-to-back losses to Oklahoma State in May of last year.
