Welcome back. It’s a short work week, so we’d better get started. If you didn’t read yesterday, note that the answers and results from Friday’s quiz are there.
Dangerous storms
The storms that blew threw the state early yesterday knocked out power for some 137,000 Alabama Power customers and likely led to one death.
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According to authorities, a woman in her late 70s in Mountain Brook was killed when a tree fell on her apartment. She was alone at the time, and no other injuries were reported. The woman was pronounced dead on the scene.
Several thousand remained without power as of this recording, according to the Alabama Power outage map.
Attention pot enthusiasts
We may soon see the federal government reclassify marijuana. But, as Savannah Tryens-Fernandes reports, that would not affect state drug laws.
See, the FDA recently recommended that marijuana move from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug. That move would reflect the FDA’s stated belief that the vast majority of weed users are not doing something that is dangerous to themselves or others.
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So last month, the DEA proposed to reclassify marijuana to reflect a view of the drug as less dangerous that it’s currently treated. There are still a few steps left on the federal level before that happens. If it does, it’ll probably give those in the marijuana business some tax advantages, but it doesn’t legalize or decriminalize it in Alabama.
Here, possession can be a misdemeanor if law enforcement believes the marijuana is just for you, and a felony if not. Selling it can get you up to 20 years in prison, and selling it to a minor can get you up to 99.
A life saver
If you’re someone who’s been sitting out your colorectal cancer screenings or you’re wondering whether having a colonoscopy is worth the time, here are some numbers that came up in a story that might interest you.
AL.com’s Sarah-Whites Koditschek reported on free screenings for low-income and underinsured Jefferson County residents that are being given at UAB through a state grant.
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UAB says that in the first year of the program, 100 colonoscopies were performed, mostly for low-income minority patients. Half of them resulted in removed polyps from the colon, and three of them resulted in the detection and treatment of early-stage cancer.
All three cancer cases were successfully treated.
In a state full of people who’d love a chance to play the lottery, 3% is a relatively sizeable portion, so make sure you start getting screened as you get into middle age.
The free screenings at UAB for patients of federally qualified health centers will be available through September.
Quoting
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“We’re just a gritty group of girls that are gonna scratch and claw their way to a world series. And we did it.”
Alabama softball catcher Riley Valentine, in an ESPN interview after the Tide upset Tennessee in a super regional to reach the Women’s College World Series for the second straight year.
Alabama football is hosting an impressive group of 2027 recruits throughout this weekend. This is the first of several weekends the Tide will host top recruits for official visits.
So, will Alabama add a commit this weekend? This is very much possible, and there are a few prospects Touchdown Alabama has our eyes on.
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Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.
OKLAHOMA CITY–– UCLA’s home run power made headlines all season, but it was Alabama’s super sluggers who stepped up in the biggest moments on the biggest stage during the Crimson Tide’s opening game of the Women’s College World Series.
No. 1 Alabama was trailing by two runs heading into the fifth inning of Thursday’s game before Alexis Pupillo tied it up with a two-run shot in the bottom of the frame.
The Tide had struggled with runners in scoring position all game, but when Alabama’s home run leader Brooke Wells stepped to the plate with two on in the sixth inning, she made sure that wasn’t going to happen again. In her first ever game at the WCWS, Wells hit one over the right field wall to give Alabama a three-run lead.
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That score would hold as No. 1 Alabama beat No. 8 UCLA 6-3 to move into the winners’ bracket at the WCWS.
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The moment meant a lot for Wells after she went without a hit during the super regional round against LSU. The team rallied around her, and head coach Patrick Murphy put a card in her locker at the beginning of the week.
“It was great to do it for these girls,” Wells said after the game. “These girls are so great. They had my back all last weekend, you know, how he said. It wasn’t the best weekend for me, but they never lost trust in me, they never lost faith in me. Murph gave me a card, the girls picked me up all weekend. I walked in here feeling as confident as ever. Didn’t really cross my mind anything that happened last weekend.”
This is the first trip to the World Series for both Wells and Pupillo as transfers into Alabama. Pupillo is in her final season and has now hit a home run in three straight postseason games and is up to 20 on the season.
“This is the moment that I’ve been waiting for since I was like eight years old,” Pupillo said. “I walked through the gates today, I kind of started tearing up for a second because it just felt surreal. I just remember watching Montana Fouts pitch in the World Series when she threw the perfect game. That moment of me when I was eight years old watching it on the TV, man, I really want to do that.”
Alabama junior ace Jocelyn Briski shut down the UCLA batting order the first time through, but the Bruins bats wouldn’t stay down for long. UCLA rallied for three runs on four hits, including two home runs, in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead.
She did not allow another run to the potent UCLA offense over the next four innings. Briski finished with nine strikeouts against a team that does not strike out much.
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“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,” UCLA coach Kelly Inoyue-Perez said after the game.
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Coming into the matchup, Alabama knew UCLA would score. It just wanted to limit the damage, and Briski was able to do that.
Jena Young set the tone for the offense at the top of the lineup, reaching base four times with three hits. She scored in the first inning on an RBI-single from Alabama’s senior captain Marlie Giles, Pupillo’s home run and on the Wells’ home run in the sixth inning.
Alabama (55-7) will face the winner of Thursday night’s game between No. 4 Nebraska and No. 5 Arkansas on Saturday. Winning the first game sets the tone for the rest of the series and makes the path a lot smoother. Around 90 percent of previous college softball national champions win their opening game at the WCWS.
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Alabama plays UCLA on Thursday night in the third first-round game of the Women’s College World Series
The Alabama Crimson Tide battles the UCLA Bruins on Thursday night in a first-round game of the Women’s College World Series. The Crimson Tide comes into the World Series on a five-game winning streak after sweeping through the regionals and super regional. They fell short in the SEC Tournament, as they lost to Texas 7-1, but they have been great in the postseason. They have given up just one combined run in the five postseason games and have easily moved on to the World Series. They beat USC Upstate twice and Belmont once in the regional by a combined 20-0 score. They then swept rival LSU in the super regional by a combined 11-1 score. They now sit at 54-7 on the season and are one of the favorites to win the National Championship.
How to Watch Alabama vs UCLA College Softball Today:
Game Date: Thursday, May 28, 2026
Game Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
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The Bruins, though, are looking to knock off the Crimson Tide and pick up a huge first-round upset on Thursday night.
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The Bruins also swept through the regional and super regional and come into the World Series 52-8 on the season.
The Bruins also came up short in their conference tournament, as they lost to Nebraska, but, like the Crimson Tide, have been good in the postseason. They got tested by Cal Baptist in the first game of the regional, but since that game, they have outscored their opponents 55-8.
What Time Is Alabama vs UCLA College Softball Game?
Game 3: Alabama vs UCLA will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tune in and catch some great College Softball action.
What Channel Is Alabama vs UCLA College Softball Game?
Looking to watch this game? Fans can tune into ESPN2 to see the action. Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup, as well as numerous other sports leagues.
Live stream Alabama vs UCLA College Softball on Fubo:Start watching now!
