Alabama Softball Dominates LSU in a Super Regional Sweep

· Yahoo Sports

May 22, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski (23) smiles at Alabama catcher Marlie Giles (34) after striking out an LSU player to end the fifth inning in the first game of the Tuscaloosa NCAA Super Regional between Alabama and LSU. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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GAME 1: ALABAMA 7, LSU 0

The Rhoads House was rocking, LSU was wearing weird teal jerseys for some reason, and the Tide was rolling to another postseason victory. All was right with the world as Alabama thumped the Bayou Bengals.

The Crimson Tide did not waste any time getting going. Jena Young led off with a single. After an out, Alexis Pupillo doubled to the wall. A wild pitch would score the first run.

A few batters later, Audrey Vandagriff stayed hot and singled in a second run.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Pupillo hit a screaming liner over the right field fence.

In the 4th, Alabama loaded the bases for Young who cleared the bases with a double that split the outfielders in left center field.

Alabama got an unearned in the 5th when pinch runner Kinley Pate moved up to second base on a wild pitch and then to third on another wild pitch. The LSU catcher tried to throw Pate out at third and the ball went into left field which allowed the Tide senior to score on a head first slide..

Jocelyn Briski (23-3) was near perfect. After giving up a double to start the game, the Tide ace did not allow another base runner the rest of the game. This performance is right up there with Montana Fouts’s perfect game in the 2021 WCWS against UCLA. It was a one-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts for Briski – a masterful outing.

NOTES:

  • Ambrey Taylor made a fantastic play in the hot corner. ↑↑↑
  • Brooke Wells was 0 for 4 with 2 Ks. It really says something that this Alabama team had a big win on a day when their superstar was not on.
  • Young was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and a run scored.
  • Alabama had ten hits.
  • LSU ace Jayden Heavener did not make an appearance in Game 1.
  • The weather cooperated on Friday.
  • LSU looked like the 1990s era Charlotte Hornets.

GAME 2: ALABAMA 4, LSU 1

LSU was looking like they might tie the series up in Game 2 with solid pitching and base runners galore against Vic Moten. The Bayou Bengals loaded the bases in the 2nd inning when a Tiger hit a deep ball to centerfield that Kristen White caught at the wall for the third out of the frame.

Alabama had a minute to get going against Jayden Heavener. The first eight Tide players went down in order with four strikeouts untilWhite walked with two outs in the 3rd inning. Reminiscent of Kinley Pate’s run scored in Game 1, Alabama’s No. 9 hitter would move around the bases and score on three consecutive wild pitches.

Heavener gave up another walk but the Crimson Tide would not score anymore in that inning.

In the bottom of the frame, the Tigers doubled and singled to tie the game at 1-1.

LSU’s ace came back out in the 4th and Alexis Pupillo greeted her with a bomb over the centerfield wall.

After two outs, Audrey Vandagriff singled and Ambrey Taylor smoked a double to the wall. Of all people, Salen Hawkins ripped a single down the left field line that scored two more runs.

In the bottom of the 4th, the game was delayed for 1:45 when lightning was spotted in the area. The game resumed but then there was another stoppage of play in the top of the 5th that lasted several hours. The LSU team got on a bus and went back to their hotel during the delay. By the time the teams returned to the diamond, the game was pushed to ESPN News. The other change was Jocelyn Briski taking over in the circle. She powered through the final three innings giving up two hits and whiffing five. Moten (21-4) took the win struck out seven.

NOTES:

  • White made a nice diving catch on a dying quail hit.

SERIES NOTES

  • Salen Hawknis got hits in both games, scored a run, and had two RBI.
  • Brooke Wells had a rough weekend going 0 for 8 with 5 strikeouts.
  • Abby Duchscherer, Larissa Preuitt, and Lauren Johnson all appeared in both games with only Preuitt getting an at bat.
  • As a team, the Tide has 97 home runs this season, tying the 2012 team’s output and putting the team seven shy of tying the single season record of 104 set in 2010.
  • Even with the delays, Alabama fans hung in there and were loud the whole time.
  • Alabama is now 54-7. It is the most wins for an Alabama team since the 2019 team went 60-10. The Tide is guaranteed single digit in losses for only the fourth time in program history. The 2021 squad went 52-9. The 2012 National Champ team was 60-8. 2008 was 58-8. [The cancelled 2020 team was 14–8, but that is not what we are talking about here.]

MVPs

  • PUPILLO: 4-8, 2 HR, 1 DBL, 2 RBI, 2 RUNS
  • BRISKI: 10.0 Inn, 3 hits and 0 runs allowed, 16 K,1 BB, WIN, SAVE

UPCOMING ALABAMA SCHEDULE

  • Alabama first game in the WCWS will be played next Thursday, May 28 against UCLA, the winner of the Los Angeles Super Regional. Arkansas, Tennessee, and Nebraska also advance. Three Super Regionals will be decided on Sunday.

HOW TO WATCH… ALLEGEDLY

Bama is on the four letter network, but if the rains fall and there is a first pitch time change, it could be shuffled off to ESPNU or the Ocho.

#RollTide #Team30

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