Alabama Softball Wins Three Straight at Regionals, Will Host Super Regional

Three teams came to Tuscaloosa to try to advance in the NCAA softball tournament.  For Alabama, it was little more than batting practice.  The Tide defeated Fairfield once and Washington twice by a combined score of 28-1.  The first run for the opposition didn't come until the fourth inning of the last game.  It was as dominant a postseason performance as the Tide have ever had.

The run began Friday afternoon when the Tide handled Fairfield by a score of 8-0 in six innings.  Then on Saturday, freshman pitcher Alexis Osorio began Washington's nightmare, allowing just one hit in a 9-0 win for the Tide.  She was almost just as good during Sunday's final, giving up just two hits and one unearned run to the Huskies.  Osorio looks to be in peak form as the Tide head to Super Regionals.

During the regular season, the Crimson Tide's do-it-all outfielder Haylie McCleney recorded three home runs.  In three games during the regional, she hit four bombs, including two in the clinching win on Sunday.  Like Osorio, McCleney is playing her best ball during the postseason.

If there were anything to critique about Bama, it would be the three errors recorded on Sunday.  Such sloppy fielding could be a major problem in close games.  Head coach Patrick Murphy will no doubt look to fix those issues as the Tide moves on.

Alabama will host the NCAA Super Regionals next week against the winner of the Norman, OK regional.  The possible opponents are down to Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Alabama and Oklahoma have not played since the Tide beat the Sooners for the 2012 National Championship.