For the 16th time in his 28 years as the Alabama softball coach, Patrick Murphy will lead the Crimson Tide into the Women's College World Series. This team may provide his best opportunity to grab that ever-elusive second national championship ring.
Murphy led Alabama to the program's only national title back in 2012. Two years later, the Crimson Tide played in the championship series, but came up short against Florida. Alabama hasn't been back to the championship series since, but has made it six additional trips to Oklahoma City, with a seventh coming this year.
Alabama entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed with a much-improved offense and dominant pitching led by Jocelyn Briski and Vic Moten. The Tide had little trouble blowing through the Tuscaloosa Regional and then swept LSU in two games in the Super Regional round to clinch a spot in OKC.
Now, Alabama is one of eight teams left standing. Three wins separate Murphy and his team from the championship series, but the Tide will have to survive a gauntlet to get there in the double-elimination format.
Alabama will open the WCWS on Thursday night against powerhouse UCLA.
Start time and channel information for Alabama softball vs. UCLA
- Date:Â Thursday, May 28th
- Time:Â 6:00 pm C.T.
- Venue: OG&E Energy Field at Devon Park, Oklahoma City, OK
- How to Watch (TV):Â ESPN2
- Streaming:Â fubo TV
- Alabama record:Â 54-7
- UCLA record:Â 52-8
Alabama and UCLA are in the primetime slot on ESPN2 tonight to open the WCWS for both. Texas Tech and Mississippi State get things started at 11 am CT, followed by Texas and Tennessee at 1:30. There's a big gap after that before the Tide and Bruins face off.
It'll be strength vs. strength between the two. Murphy will put Briski, one of the nation's top pitchers, in the circle against a devastating UCLA lineup that led Division I with 200 home runs. Jordan Woolery and Megan Gant may be the two most feared hitters in the entire nation. It will be difficult to keep the Bruins' bats silent, so the Crimson Tide will need to score some runs. Getting Brooke Wells out of her Supers slump would go a long way toward ensuring that happens.
Alabama's WCWS odds have Crimson Tide fans dreaming big
According to DraftKings, Alabama softball is No. 2 in national championship odds, behind only its opening-round opponent, UCLA. Oklahoma getting upset by Mississippi State changed everything, and now the Crimson Tide is positioned to potentially win its second national title.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.Â
Winning the first game is imperative in making it to the championship series. A loss would put the Tide on the brink of elimination. If Alabama wins, it will get Friday off, setting up a Saturday matchup against the winner of Arkansas/Nebraska. If Alabama loses to UCLA, it will play in an elimination game on Friday against the loser of Arkansas/Nebraska.
You can view the tournament bracket and the Crimson Tide's path by following this link.
Add us as a preferred source on Google