Alabama softball punches ticket to WCWS
Alabama softball defeated Northwestern, 3-2, in Game 3 of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional to earn a trip back to the Women’s College World Series.
The Crimson Tide (45-20) will face Tennessee (49-8) on Thursday at 11 a.m. CT in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Alabama will make its 14th appearance in the WCWS and first since 2021. The Crimson Tide has advanced to OKC six times in the past nine postseasons.
SEE YOU IN OKC ‼️ @AlabamaSB is #WCWS Bound for the 14th time in program history!@NCAASoftball x #ItJustMeansMore pic.twitter.com/VKW3kI8y0v
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) May 28, 2023
“I knew what it was like to go to Oklahoma City and I wanted that for my seniors so bad it is a dream come true,” said Alabama senior Jenna Johnson. “It’s an honor to go to that place and be able to put on the jersey for another week and get to compete for a national championship. I wanted it for them really bad.”
Johnson and Ally Shipman provided the offense Alabama in Sunday’s “winner-take-all” finale. In the third inning, Shipman delivered a two-run double off the leftfield fence to give the Crimson Tide a 2-0 lead.
Northwestern cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the fifth inning but Johnson blasted a solo homerun off the leftfield foul pole to restore a two-run lead.
Northwestern cut the lead to one run again in the seventh inning on a solo homerun by Maeve Nelson. The rally came up short as Alabama’s Montana Fouts got the final two outs to earn the win in relief.
“I cannot tell you how gratifying the last 2 weeks have been for me,” said Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy. “Just a great team, great senior leadership, they all bought in. You have a storybook. Somebody needs to write a story.
“It’s still an unreal feeling to sit here knowing we’re going to Oklahoma City for the 14th time in our time here at Alabama.”
The WCWS begins Thursday at USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City.
