No Luck Needed at Regional - Alabama Softball Dominant in All Phases

There’s domination. And then there is just plain ridiculousness.

The Alabama softball team has done all the things you expect from a team on a 16-game win streak – good hitting, solid pitching, smooth defense, and a lucky bounce here or there.

This weekend at the NCAA Regional, luck had nothing to do with the Crimson Tide’s performance. From the first pitch Thursday against Alabama State, the No. 3 overall seed Crimson Tide was aggressive in all phases and never let off the gas en route to its 18th regional title.

The latest regional crown and 16th straight, came Sunday against ACC regular-season champ Clemson with a 5-0 win.

Alabama hosts Kentucky in next week's Super Regional. Information on dates and times will be updated.

It’s the program’s 43rd straight regional win, and Alabama didn’t allow a run the entire tournament, something no other Crimson Tide regional title team has done. In fact, baserunners reached second base just three times in three games.

"We always say if the other team doesn't score you're never going to lose," Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said.

Impressive doesn’t do justice to describe the Alabama pitching this weekend. Montana Fouts, the SEC Co-Pitcher the Year, allowed just seven hits in two starts and recorded 28 strikeouts with just two walks. Lexi Kilfoyl was even better in the opener against Alabama State with a 15-strikeout, no-hit effort in 5 1/3 innings.

Just 11 batters reached base against Alabama – seven hits, two walks and two hit-by-pitch.

"Obviously, the pitching was terrific," Murphy said. "Montana had 12 (strikeouts) today, and 16 (Friday). It was great defense and pitching.

Meanwhile, Alabama’s offense was dialed in from the start as well, banging out 20 runs on 28 hits, including five for extra bases.

The usual suspects were responsible for the standout offensive effort. SEC Player of the Year Bailey Hemphill had four hits with seven RBIs, while speedster Alexis Mack had seven hits with three RBIs to continue her 12-game hit streak, and she also scored five runs.

Elissa Brown, another speedster, also added to her 11-game hit streak with a five-hit weekend with five runs.

"With a fast kid, you never want the other team to yell, 'I got it,' because that means the ball is in he air. When they hit the ball on the ground, that's when good things happen," Murphy said of Mack and Brown. "We have good team speed."