It was only a matter of time before Alabama slugger Brooke Wells broke out of her funk. The Houston transfer put together a terrific regular season in Tuscaloosa, consistently being the Crimson Tide's biggest threat in the batter's box while making a serious run at Bailey Hemphill's single-season program record for home runs.
But the postseason had been a struggle thus far for Wells, particularly in the Super Regional last weekend against LSU. Alabama swept its SEC rivals, but Wells didn't contribute at the plate. She was 0-for-8 with five strikeouts. It was a frustrating performance for Alabama's All-SEC first baseman, but the best thing you can have in a sport like softball is a short memory.
There's going to be ebbs and flows, even for the best hitters. Wells experienced a low point against LSU, but it made the high that came on Thursday night against UCLA to open the Women's College World Series that much sweeter.
With the game tied at three in the 6th inning, thanks to a game-tying two-run homer by Alexis Pupillo in the 5th, Wells stepped to the plate in a big spot with two runners on and a chance to put Alabama ahead. She got the pitch she was looking for and didn't miss it, hitting a three-run homer to right center to put Alabama ahead 6-3. Jocelyn Briski shut the door in the 7th, and the Crimson Tide advanced to the winner's bracket of the WCWS thanks to Wells' heroics.
BROOKE WELLS WITH THE 3-RUN BOMB 💣#WCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @AlabamaSB pic.twitter.com/9V6DJRgGrF
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 29, 2026
Brooke Wells credited Patrick Murphy, her Alabama teammates for picking her up amid struggles
Murphy and her Alabama teammates ensured that Wells put last week's struggles against LSU in the rearview mirror heading into Oklahoma City.
"It was great to do it for these girls," Wells said. "These girls are so great. They had my back all last weekend, you know, how he said. It wasn't the best weekend for me, but they never lost trust in me, they never lost faith in me. Murph gave me a card, the girls picked me up all weekend. I walked in here feeling as confident as ever. Didn't really cross my mind anything that happened last weekend."
The culture for Alabama softball is well known. It starts with Murphy, who is one of the best culture builders not just in softball but in all of college sports. Other coaches around the University of Alabama, namely Nate Oats, have taken things they've learned from Murphy and instituted them into their own programs.
Murphy knows what buttons to push and when. He knows how to motivate, and everyone who has ever played for him raves about him.
He knew Wells was not in a good place mentally coming out of the Supers, and he put a card in her locker on Monday to help set the tone for her performance against UCLA.
"Yeah, she was 0-8. We have the day off on Sunday, then Monday morning, we had early practice 'cause it was getting hot in Alabama, so we went early. Just put her in her locker," Murphy said about the card he gave to Wells. "When I saw her, I said the sun came up, we're playing again, and everything is right in the world. We're going to the World Series. It's over and done with. One of our sayings is the best is yet to come. Pupillo and everybody else behind you picked you up, and we're still playing. It does not matter.
"One of the things you have to have in the post-season is the quickest short-term memory you ever had in your life. Briski had it tonight. If she would have dwelled on those two home runs, they probably would have been the other score, probably would have won. Short-term memory, what's done is done. Both of them have done it. Brooke obviously did it today."
Murphy and the team have talked about one of the big words for this team being "resiliency." Wells, Briski, and the whole team showed a ton of it on Thursday night to take down UCLA and advance to face Nebraska on Saturday in the winner's bracket of the WCWS.
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