TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— LSU leadoff hitter Jalia Lassiter came inches away from taking Jocelyn Briski deep on the first at bat Friday night. The Tigers bats didn’t come close to threatening the Alabama ace after that.

Briski continued her dominance in the circle, striking out 11 batters over seven scoreless innings to lead the top-ranked Crimson Tide to a 7-0 win over No. 16 LSU in the first game of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional. 

LSU put a scare into the Rhoads Stadium crowd, as Lassiter’s lined a leadoff double off the top of the left field wall. However, with the help of a highlight snag by third baseman Ambrey Taylor, Briski pitched her way out of the first-inning jam unscathed. 

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a super regional where the leadoff hits a double, and then nothing after that,” Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said after the game. “You guys got to witness some really good pitching tonight.”

The junior flamethrower was brilliant from there. Briski didn’t allow another LSU hit after Lassiter’s leadoff double. She retired 21 straight batters to close out the game. The Crimson Tide pitching staff still has not allowed a run in the NCAA tournament through four games. It was the 26th shutout of the season.

“I think it was a miss pitch on my part,” Briski said of the double. “But I think the defense just did a great job behind me. Knowing that it was the first inning, there was really no reason to press at all. If they score a run or two, I know our offense is going to come through and score. I think it was just a great game, and the girls went and scored in the first inning right way, so it just took off a lot of pressure for the rest of the game for me.”

Alabama’s bats backed up their ace at the plate with seven runs on 10 hits. The Tide offense came out hot with a two-run first inning highlighted by an RBI single from Audrey Vandagriff and a double from Alexis Pupillo that Murphy said was one of the hardest-hit balls he’s ever seen at Rhoads. Pupillo added on with her 18th home run of the season with a solo shot in the third inning.

“It was just a really good first inning, and I thought it really set the tone,” Murphy said.

Second baseman Jena Young provided the big blow that put the game completely out of reach with a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning. Young now has seven hits and seven RBIs in the NCAA tournament.

Because of Briski’s efficiency, Alabama will have its full pitching staff available for Saturday’s game. LSU used two pitchers: starter Patyn Monticelli and reliever Cece Cellura. Jayden Heavener will likely get the start for the Tigers in the second game. Even though Murphy wouldn’t say, it will probably be freshman Vic Moten for the Tide.

Alabama is now one win away from a trip back to the Women’s College World Series. Game 2 between the Crimson Tide and Tigers is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on Saturday.

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RADAR CHECK: Scattered areas of rain across Alabama early this morning with temperatures in the 68-73 degree range. Today’s weather will be unsettled with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms. Understand it won’t rain all day, and it won’t rain everywhere. But most places have a good chance of getting some rain today.

SPC maintains a “marginal risk” (level 1/5) of severe thunderstorms for roughly the western half of the state today and early tonight.

Heavier storms today will be capable of producing strong, gusty winds. A brief, isolated tornado is possible, but not likely. Many places will stay in the 70s today due to clouds and rain.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND: We will deal with scattered showers and storms tomorrow and Sunday statewide, but they won’t be as numerous as the ones we expect today. Chance of any one spot getting rain both days is 50-60 percent, and most of the showers (but not all) will come from about 2:00 until 10:00 p.m. Otherwise expect a mix of sun and clouds both days with highs in the mid 80s.

Pretty much the same thing on Monday/Memorial Day. Cloudy at times, the risk of a passing shower or storm, highs in the 80s.

REST OF NEXT WEEK: The overall pattern won’t change much as the ocean of humidity continues to cover the Deep South. We will have the risk of scattered showers and storms daily, most active during the afternoon and evening hours. Highs hold in the 80s

MOBILE, Ala. (WSFA) – A Memorial Day staple normally found in downtown Prattville is on the move this year.

The Alabama Poppy Project will set up its field of handmade ceramic poppies at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, surrounding the USS Alabama.

The poppies are meant to honor the men and women who served the country and are no longer living.

“It was really emotionally overwhelming to see the battleship and all of the aircraft and all of the tanks and everything that you can see,” said Julianne Hansen, founder of the Alabama Poppy Project. “It feels kind of like coming home.”

Hansen also emphasized that Memorial Day not only honors those who died in battle, but also those who died while on active duty.

“My stepson did not pass away in battle, but he did pass away while in active duty and he is a gold-star service member and we are a gold-star family,” Hansen said. “We will fight in order to be able to share the messages and the stories of these people who gave so much for the cause of freedom and for their service to our country.”

Hansen said the move to Mobile provides a new opportunity to teach visitors what the memorial poppy symbolizes, even if the display isn’t the main attraction the way it has been in Prattville.

The display will open Friday morning at Battleship Memorial Park at 8 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

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