For the 9th time, the University of Alabama softball team booked their ticket to the Women’s College World Series with the 2-1 win against Nebraska at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa AL.
Tatum Edwards (7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) for Nebraska and Jaclyn Traina (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) got the starts in the circle. The Crimson Tide jumped out to the early lead in the first frame of the game, doing some damage with 2 outs. Kaila Hunt led things off with a single up the middle. A costly error charged to Nebraska’s Alicia Armstrong put two on board for the Tide. Back to back RBI singles from Marisa Runyon and Molly Fichtner would give Alabama the 2-0 lead. Nebraska had Armstrong in scoring position after a lead off single but couldn’t bring her around for the score. Alabama got 2 base runners on board in the top of the 2nd but couldn’t do anything with them. Danae Hays reached after being hit by a pitch but was erased as a base runner on a double play. Haylie McCleney also singled in the frame but a ground out from Kallie Case sent things to the bottom half. Nebraska cut the Bama lead in half in the top of the second after MJ Knighten led off with a walk and Kylee Muir singled. Both advanced into scoring position on Kiki Stokes’ ground out. Knighten scored on a ground out from Austen Urness.
Not much going for the Tide in the top of the 3rd. Hunt drew a lead off walk but a double play ball from the bat of Jadyn Spencer and a strike out from Fichtner would bring the Cornhuskers up to bat in their half of the 3rd. Triana and the Tide made quick work of the Cornhuskers in their part of the 3rd, sitting them down in order. Alabama followed going rather quietly in the 4th with the only base runner coming with 2 outs after Hays was hit by a pitch. Nebraska was retired in order again in the fourth which made it 9 straight in the game since Muir’s single in the 2nd.
In the top of the 5th, the Tide got the first two batters on base from a lead off single from McCleney, a sacrifice bunt from Case and a infield single from Hunt. Both runners advanced into scoring position on Spencer’s ground out but a strikeout from Fichtner stranded them both. Nebraska threatened with the game tying run 60 ft away but Armstrong flied out to end the 5th. Runyon reached to lead off the sixth on Nebraska’s 2nd error of the game. A double play erased her as a base runner. Hays extended the inning with a single through the left side but a ground out from McCleney ended the threat. The Cornhuskers once again tried to rally in the bottom of the sixth, getting runners on first and second but Traina stranded them all with a big strikeout on Muir. The Tide went quietly in the top of the 7th. Nebraska’s Stokes made a spectacular diving catch for out number 2. The Cornhuskers went down in order to end the game.