Alabama Softball Preparing to Face SEC Foe in Supers for Third Time in a Row

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— In Alabama's first 15 trips to super regionals, the Crimson Tide only faced an SEC opponent twice in that round. With No. 16 LSU coming to Tuscaloosa for this weekend's super regional, Alabama will have faced a conference opponent in four of the last five trips to the super regional round.

"In the postseason, it’s almost inevitable that you will run into an SEC school, especially when so many of them make the playoffs," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said Thursday. "But what I do like about this year is that we haven’t seen them this year. I know one year we faced somebody seven times, and that’s just a lot."

In 2021, Alabama played Kentucky in a regular-season series before facing them again in the SEC tournament. Then the Crimson Tide hosted the Wildcast in super regionals. Last season, the Tide had to travel to Oklahoma for supers after hosting the Sooners in the regular season. Two years ago, Alabama played at Tennessee in the regular season and in super regionals.

This year is at least a little different. As Murphy pointed out, Alabama and LSU did not play during the regular season. The two teams had different journeys through SEC play.

The Crimson Tide came up one game short of winning the regular season SEC title with a 19-5 record in conference play. Conversely, the Tigers started SEC play 1-5 with series losses to Tennessee and Texas A&M, and LSU finished with a 12-12 record in conference play.

However, LSU is playing some of its best softball of the season. The Tigers are winners of eight off their last nine games, including a record-breaking 25-0 win over Auburn in the final regular season series.

"We’re just grateful to still be playing this weekend, grateful to be in the 16 still going," LSU head coach Beth Torina said. "We’re excited about the way our team has played the last few weeks. We’re excited about the spot we’re in and excited to be in Tuscaloosa for the super regional. We know we have a great opponent— a ton of respect for them. They’ve had a great season, so we’ll have to show up with some of our best games of the year.”

Alabama only lost one series in SEC play on the road at Tennessee. Because of the success the Tide had in conference play, it can almost view this weekend like the ninth SEC series on the schedule.

"We say an SEC weekend is like a super regional, and it’s like one in the same," Murphy said. "It’s strange. I thought about it the other day, but obviously, the stakes are quite bigger. I know both of us want to get back to Oklahoma City. It’s going to be a tough road, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. But with a really good team like them, it’ll be a very, very good matchup.”

The stakes are big. Alabama is looking to make its 16th appearance at the Women's College World Series. LSU has not made it to OKC since the 2017 postseason.

"If all three aspects of our game come together, and we play as one, I think we'll be good," Alabama outfielder Kristen White said. "Pitching, hitting defense–– all three. I think if they're all secure, and they're all great, then we're in a good spot."

First pitch for Alabama and LSU is currently scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Friday.

Alabama's history in Super Regionals

Went 2-0 at No. 5 Texas A&M- 2005 (Texas A&M was still in the Big 12)
Went 2-0 vs. No. 7 Stanford- 2006
Went 0-2 at No. 11 Washington- 2007
Went 2-0 vs. Missouri- 2008 (Missouri was still in the Big 12)
Went 2-0 vs. Jacksonville State- 2009
Went 1-2 vs. No. 19 Hawaii- 2010
Went 2-1 vs. No. 11 Stanford- 2011
Went 2-0 vs. Michigan- 2012
Went 0-2 at No. 5 Tennessee- 2013
Went 2-0 vs. No. 19 Nebraska- 2014
Went 2-1 vs. No. 11 Oklahoma- 2015 (Oklahoma was still in the Big 12)
Went 2-0 vs. No. 11 Washington- 2016
Went 1-2 at No. 1 Florida- 2017
Went 0-2 at No. 5 Washington- 2018
Went 2-1 vs. No. 9 Texas- 2019
Went 2-0 vs. Kentucky- 2021
Went 2-0 vs. No. 12 Northwestern- 2023
Went 2-1 at No. 3 Tennessee- 2024
Went 0-2 at No. 2 Oklahoma- 2025

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