TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The No. 2 University of Alabama softball team claimed its eighth straight NCAA first-round regional title Sunday with a 6-0 victory against the University of South Alabama at Rhoads Stadium.
Alabama will now play host to the University of Michigan, which eliminated the University of Louisville, in the Super Regionals in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Times and dates for that series will be announced.
“I want to first of all say congrats to South Alabama,” Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said. “I think that it is very cool Alabama, Auburn, South, Troy, Jacksonville State, and UAB have all participated in the NCAA tournament. It is incredible for the state.”
Alabama won its sixth straight game and improved to 53-7, while. South Alabama finished its season 41-17. The title is the 10th for the Crimson Tide, and the win marks the 19th in a row in regional play.
Sophomore Jackie Traina threw her second consecutive two-hitter to improve to 35-2. The sophomore struck out 10, which included her 300th strikeout of the season. Traina is just the fourth Alabama pitcher to accomplish that feat. Hannah Campbell (24-12) took the loss.
“She was pretty sharp,” senior Kendall Dawson of Traina. “She wasn’t on her ‘A game’, but I think that her lower-level games could still beat a lot of people. I wouldn’t say she had her best game. She was missing a little on the outside, but she’ll find a way. She’s just that kind of strong pitcher that no matter what the strike zone is like, she’s still going to find a way to throw to them and get the outs. That’s what’s amazing about her. She’s so mentally solid.”
Alabama nine hits, including three by senior Cassie Reilly-Boccia. Alabama stole five bases and was 11-for-11 on the weekend. Senior Jennifer Fenton had seven hits in the three regional games.
Alabama got the scoring started early in the bottom of the first inning. Fenton reached on a single, her sixth hit of the regional, and stole second. Sophomore Kaila Hunt drove her in with a RBI double, her 70th RBI of the year, to give Alabama a 1-0 lead. Hunt became just the second player in school history to hit 70 or more RBIs in a season.
Alabama added to its lead in the bottom of the second. Reilly-Boccia led off with a single. Pinch runner Keima Davis stole second and came around to score on freshman Danae Hays’ RBI single.
The Crimson Tide kept it up in the third, as Traina was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Pinch runner Danielle Richard scored on an RBI single by Reilly-Boccia to make it 3-0.
Alabama added insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman pinch hitter Jadyn Spencer reached on an error and moved to third on a double by junior Kayla Braud. Both scored on a double by Fenton. Traina helped her own cause when she followed up with a run scoring single.
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