OKLAHOMA CITY — Through two games at the Women’s College World Series, Alabama softball has shown opponents why it arrived at Devon Park as the No. 1 overall seed.
UCLA saw it first in a 6-3 loss Thursday, May 28. Nebraska saw it Saturday, when the Crimson Tide remained in the winners bracket with a 5-1 win over the No. 4 seed Cornhuskers.
The view from the opposing dugout has found a consensus: Alabama has power all throughout its lineup, a pitcher who is difficult to solve and the ability to take control and keep it.
“They’re everything that’s been advertised,” Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle said. “I understand why they earned the No. 1 seed.”
Alabama’s first two games in Oklahoma City have followed a similar script. The Crimson Tide has not needed constant offense. It has needed timely offense.
Against UCLA, Alexis Pupillo hit a two-run home run and Brooke Wells added a three-run homer in Alabama’s opening win. UCLA also hit two home runs, but Bruins coach Kelly Inouye-Perez saw Alabama’s ability to create more damage with its swings.
“They’re a tough opponent,” Inouye-Perez said. “You could see they hit two home runs, we hit two home runs, but the ability to come up with those timely hits with runners on obviously makes a difference.”
Two days later, Alabama did it again.
Marlie Giles gave the Crimson Tide immediate separation against Nebraska with a three-run homer in the first inning. She later added an RBI off a sacrifice fly in the third, and Jena Young drove in Alabama’s final run with an RBI single in the fourth.
Revelle said Nebraska did not play its cleanest game, and against Alabama, those mistakes became costly.
“We’re just down to that place in the season where everybody is so good,” Revelle said. “You can’t give them anything extra. We gave a lot of extras today.”
Alabama has also made those leads hold behind ace Jocelyn Briski.
UCLA scored three early runs in the opener, but Briski settled in and kept the Bruins from building. Megan Grant said UCLA expected Briski to be a difficult matchup.
“We all knew coming in she was a competitor,” Grant said. “Just the scouting plan, she throws everything, she’s very versatile. She just had really good stuff today. We tried to compete as much as we could against her.”
Hannah Camenzind hit Nebraska’s lone home run, but she said Briski made the rest of the night difficult with her “full confidence” in moving the ball around the zone and changing speeds.
Revelle said she had watched Briski for a long time, but saw a different version of Alabama’s pitcher this season, one she called a warrior.
“She has taken her game to another level,” Revelle said.
Now Alabama moves to Monday’s semifinal at 6 p.m. CT against the winner of UCLA and Texas Tech. The Crimson Tide is one win from the championship series.
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at ahurley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Why Alabama softball Women’s College World Series fear Crimson Tide