No. 15 Alabama Softball Run Rules Jackson State on Walk-Off Wild Pitch

The Crimson Tide picks up a five-inning, run-rule victory in its opening game of regionals for the first time since 2018.

Alabama Softball Player Larissa Preuitt (11) and Alabama Softball Player Alexis Pupillo (31) hug against Jackson State during the NCAA Softball Tuscaloosa Regional at Rhodes Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL on Friday, May 16, 2025. | Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— For the first time since 2018, Alabama softball run-ruled its opening game of the regional round in five innings.

The Crimson Tide walked off Jackson State on a bases-loaded wild pitch as Alexis Pupillo came in to score the winning run for the 8-0 run-rule victory for No. 15 Alabama over the Tigers.

"Whether it was a wild pitch, hit, walk, whatever–– we'll take that any day in the NCAA tournament," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said after the game.

Alabama loaded the bases after two free passes and a two-out single from Larissa Preuitt, her second hit of the day. The Tide needed two runs in the bottom of the fifth for the run-rule. The first run came on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brooke Ellestad with Pupillo later putting the exclamation point on the game.

Sometimes it just takes a little help to get things going. The Crimson Tide offense was pretty stagnant through the first two innings before Preuitt reached on a three-base error to start the bottom of the third inning.

Preuitt came in to score on an RBI single by Kali Heivilin. After Marlie Giles battled through a long at-bat to draw her second walk of the game, Salen Hawkins provided the big blow of the inning with two-out, two-RBI double that extended the Alabama lead to 3-0.

Hawkins had come to the plate in the first inning with two runners on and two outs and flew out to right field. She didn't want to make that mistake again.

"I was just a little upset that I didn't come through in that first inning, and I really wanted to do my job that time to get us ahead and keep it going," Hawkins said.

Brooke Ellestad snapped her 0-for-14 slump at the plate with a single to score Hawkins to make it 4-0 Crimson Tide at the end of the third inning.

"Kali got the first RBI and then I think we had four in a row–– three hits and a walk–– get on consecutively with two outs," Murphy said. "And you could kind of see their breaking point a little bit."

Alabama tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning with RBIs from Lauren Johnson and Heivilin.

Crimson Tide starter Emily Winstead did exactly what Alabama needed her to in the circle. She didn't give up a hit until the fourth inning and only allowed two baserunners total through four innings before she was relieved by Alea Johnson in the bottom of the fifth. It was Winstead's first NCAA tournament win as a senior after transferring in from UNC Wilmington.

"It definitely means a lot," Winstead said. "I think I've known since like Tuesday or Wednesday that I was pitching this game today, so I had a lot of time to prepare myself, get my mind right and trust my stuff."

Johnson retired the two batters she faced.

"I was happy for both pitchers, and what they did tonight," Murphy said.

Alabama will face Virginia Tech on Saturday at 11 a.m. with a spot in the regional final on the line. The Hokies beat Belmont 5-0 in the Tuscaloosa Regional earlier on Friday and split two games in the regular season with the Crimson Tide back in February.

"This is a team we've seen twice already, a third time, and we'll probably see them a fourth time as well," Winstead said. "So just knowing that our stuff is good and trusting it."

Final stats for Alabama softball against Jackson State- May 16, 2025 | Statbroadcast