Alabama Crimson Tide news and notes from Wednesday and Thursday, April 1st and 2nd.
Alabama baseball builds huge lead, holds off Oklahoma for 9th straight win
Alabama baseball remained on a heater in the first game of their three-game series against No. 11 Oklahoma in Norman on Thursday night.
Alabama built a big lead in the early innings and ultimately held on for a 10-7 win over Oklahoma.
Bryce Fowler got the party started with a first-pitch homerun in the 1st inning to give the Crimson Tide a 1-0 lead that they never looked back from. Alabama added a second 1st inning run before the fireworks really got going in the second.
Alabama added eight runs in the second inning, highlighted by homers by Fowler, Jason Torres, and Justin Osterhouse.
The Crimson Tide needed the big number in the 2nd inning as the Sooners rallied to only lose by three runs, but it's a 9th straight win for Rob Vaughn's team. Alabama has really turned the corner from getting swept by Kentucky on the road to open SEC play.
Alabama will look to win the series on Friday with a 1pm CT first pitch.
Alabama softball gets humbled by No. 1 Texas to open series
If Alabama softball's series at home against Texas was going to serve as a measuring stick for this team as a national title contender, Thursday night's result at Rhoads showed the Crimson Tide isn't on that level.
The defending national champion Longhorns battered and bruised the Tide on the way to a 9-1 win.
Alabama ace Jocelyn Briski got roughed up by a Texas lineup that doesn't give you any easy outs. Briski managed just three innings before getting lifted after allowing six hits and five earned runs.
Alabama's offense could do little against Texas' Teagan Kavan, who pitched a complete game and only allowed five hits and one earned run. Marlie Giles' RBI single in the 4th inning was the lone run Patrick Murphy's club was able to manage.
Alabama will look to respond on Friday night to try to tie the series heading into Saturday. It'll take a much, much better performance for the Tide to have a shot at beating a loaded Longhorns team.
Pauline Love named Alabama women's basketball coach
Greg Byrne made an off-the-radar hire to lead the women's basketball program after Kristy Curry left to take the USF job. Oklahoma assistant Pauline Love, who spent the 2024-25 season as a Crimson Tide assistant, was named the 10th coach in program history.
Love is known as an ace recruiter, and she'll bring a renewed energy to the program as she looks to build off the good work Curry did.
"I'm incredibly honored to lead the Alabama women's basketball program," Love said. "This is a place with a championship standard, and we're going to build a team that reflects that every day through toughness, togetherness, and trust. I'm excited to get to work with our players, connect with this community, and build something special in Tuscaloosa.