Alabama
No. 16 Alabama Slugs Its Way To Series-Opening Win Over No. 11 Oklahoma
The tone was set on the first pitch of the game.
Bryce Fowler sent a no-doubter over the left field wall, the first of four home runs that No. 16 Alabama would hit in the first two innings, as the Crimson Tide slugged its way to a 10-7 over No. 11 Oklahoma in the series opener.
Justin Lebron flew out immediately after Fowler’s leadoff blast, but Brady Neal then nearly went yard himself. The ball was about an inch from clearing the wall, and instead bounced off it for a triple. Neal would come in to score off a two-out John Lemm single, giving Alabama a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.
The Sooners would get one back in the bottom of the inning, but Alabama flipped the game upside down in the second. Justin Osterhouse and Brennan Holt were plunked, bringing Fowler back up with two on and one out. Fowler then demolished a ball to right field for the first multi-home run game of his career.
“He’s just a tough competitor, man. That’s Bryce Fowler in a nutshell,” head coach Rob Vaughn said. “The bigger the moment, the better he is. Not only the swings last weekend, but the defense in center last weekend, and then the unbelievable at-bats really set the tone today.”
Justin Lebron then drew a five-pitch walk and, per usual, stole second. He came about as close as he has all season to getting thrown out, but slid in safely for his 24th stolen base of the season, most in the SEC by a significant margin. The shortstop then came home on a single from Neal, which marked the end of starter LJ Mercurius’ evening.
Mercurius’ season ERA rose from 3.53 to 5.11 as Alabama scored seven off him. He was replaced by his brother, Xander, who did not fare much better in that second, as Jason Torres took his first pitch of the day deep, extending Alabama’s lead to seven runs.
After Lemm recorded another hit, Osterhouse added the exclamation point with the third home run of the inning. As Oklahoma finally left the field after a Luke Vaughn groundout, Alabama held a 10-1 lead.
Tyler Fay settled in on the mound for Alabama, putting together 1-2-3 frames in the second, third and fourth innings. On the flip side, Xander Mercurius put together a very impressive relief appearance, giving up just one more hit and keeping Alabama off the board for the rest of his night as the freshman worked into the eighth.
The Sooners added three runs in the fifth off a pair of home runs, but that was all the offense to speak of. Fay ended up going 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs in a performance that, while obviously not at the level of his last two dominant outings, was more than enough given the run support.
Oklahoma put three more on the board in the ninth, forcing reliever Sam Mitchell out of the game after a leadoff home run and then a two-out, two-RBI triple that cut the deficit to three. Oklahoma had the tying run on deck, but Matthew Heiberger came in and recorded a strikeout to end the game and give Alabama the opener.
Alabama will play for the series win earlier than expected, as Saturday’s game was moved up from 6:30 to 1 p.m. CT due to expected inclement weather. The contest will air on SEC Network+.
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Softball
May 22, 2026
Alabama’s Jocelyn Briski shuts out LSU with 11 strikeouts in super regional win
May 22, 2026
Watch every strikeout from Alabama pitching star Jocelyn Briski’s shutout win over LSU in the Crimson Tide’s 2026 NCAA softball super regionals opener.
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.
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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
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