How to Watch No. 1 Alabama in NCAA Softball Tuscaloosa Regional

It's the most wonderful time of the year for college softball fans, and for the 21st straight postseason, Rhoads Stadium will be hosting an NCAA regional as Alabama earned the No. 1 overall seed after finishing the regular season with a 49-7 record.

The Crimson Tide is one of four teams that will be playing at Rhoads this weekend alongside USC Upstate, Belmont and Southeastern Louisiana. Alabama opens play in the double-elimination weekend against USC Upstate on Friday at noon CT on SEC Network, while Belmont and SELA will square off in the second game.

Those two teams have been two of the best mid-major teams in college softball this season and both have wins over teams that are hosting a regional this weekend. Belmont ace Maya Johnson leads the nation with a 0.66 ERA, and Southeastern Louisiana has the No. 4 team era at 1.67. It should be a weekend full of entertaining softball games in Tuscaloosa.

The names may seem familiar to Tide fans, and for good reason. All three opponents in the Tuscaloosa Regional have played at Rhoads in the postseason at some point in the last two years (USC Upstate and SELA in 2024, Belmont in 2025.) Alabama has advanced to the super regional round in 19 of the last 20 postseasons.

Here's everything you need to know about the Tuscaloosa Regional:

How to Watch 2026 NCAA Softball Tuscaloosa Regional

Who: No. 1 Alabama (49-7), Southeastern Louisiana (46-14), Belmont (40-11), USC Upstate (36-21)

When: Friday, May 15
Alabama vs. USC Upstate – 12 p.m. CT – SEC Network
Southeastern vs. Belmont – 2:30 p.m. CT – ESPN+
Saturday, May 16
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 1 p.m. CT
Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 3:30 p.m. CT
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner – 6 p.m. CT
Sunday, May 17
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 12 p.m. CT
(If Necessary) Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser – 2:30 p.m. CT

Where: Rhoads Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

TV: SEC Network or ESPN+ (Nate Gatter and Monica Abbott on the call)

Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network on 100.1 FM in Tuscaloosa with Tom Canterbury and Gray Robertson on the call

Series history vs. Southeastern Louisiana: Alabama leads, 3-0
In Tuscaloosa: 2-0 | In Hammond: 0-0 | At Neutral Sites: 1-0
Last meeting: May 19, 2024 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 12-2 (5 Inn.) *NCAA Regionals*

Series history vs. Belmont: Alabama leads, 4-0
In Tuscaloosa: 0-0 | In Nashville: 0-0 | At Neutral Sites: 4-0
Last meeting: April 23, 2019 - Cullman, Ala. - W, 6-4

Series history vs. USC Upstate: Alabama leads, 2-0
In Tuscaloosa: 2-0 | In Spartanburg: 0-0 | At Neutral Sites: 0-0
Last meeting: May 17, 2024 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 1-0 *NCAA Regionals*

Alabama statistical leaders:

Batting average: Brooke Wells- .404
RBIs: Brooke Wells- 61
Home runs: Brooke Wells- 22
ERA: Jocelyn Briski- 1.45
Wins: Jocelyn Briski- 21
Strikeouts: Jocelyn Briski- 175

Southeastern Louisiana statistical leaders:

Batting average: Shelby Morris- .400
RBIs: Maria Detillier- 56
Home runs: Maria Detillier, Ka'Lyn Watson- 9
ERA: Cera Blanchard- 1.08
Wins: Hallie Burns- 20
Strikeouts: Hallie Burns- 106

Belmont statistical leaders:

Batting average: Rylee Spindler- .456
RBIs: Rylee Spindler- 40
Home runs: Nicole Hughes- 8
ERA: Maya Johnson- 0.66
Wins: Maya Johnson- 27
Strikeouts: Maya Johnson- 381

USC Upstate statistical leaders:

Batting average: Taliyah Thomas- .418
RBIs: Taliyah Thomas- 48
Home runs: Laney Jennings, Taliyah Thomas- 7
ERA: Maddie Drerup- 3.26
Wins: Maddie Drerup- 20
Strikeouts: Maddie Drerup- 104

*This story will be updated throughout the weekend with any game time changes and the TV designations.

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