Bama Central

Live Blog: No. 15 Alabama Softball vs. Virginia Tech in Tuscaloosa Regional Final

Score updates and analysis from Rhoads Stadium as the Crimson Tide and Hokies meet with a spot in Super Regionals on the line.

Theodore Fernandez

Rhoads Stadium before NCAA Tournament matchup between Alabama and Virginia Tech
Rhoads Stadium before NCAA Tournament matchup between Alabama and Virginia Tech / BamaCentral

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— It is Championship Sunday at Rhoads Stadium as No. 15 Alabama and Virginia Tech meet in the Tuscaloosa Regional final, trying to advance to Super Regionals.

Alabama has won its first two games, including a 4-3 victory over the Hokies on Saturday. This means the Crimson Tide will only have to win once today. Because Virginia Tech is coming out of the loser's bracket, the Hokies will have to beat Alabama twice.

First pitch was scheduled for 1 p.m., but did not occur until 4:30 due to weather delays. The game is currently airing on ESPN+ but will move to SEC Network following the conclusion of the Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State game. BamaCentral will provide updates throughout.

BE SURE TO REFRESH YOUR BROWSER FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.

Starting lineups

Alabama Softball vs. Virginia Tech starting lineups- May 18, 2025
Alabama Softball vs. Virginia Tech starting lineups- May 18, 2025 / Statbroadcast

Live Blog

FINAL: Alabama 3, Virginia Tech 2

Lynch pops up to Giles, who makes the catch right against the wall. Alabama is Super Regional-bound. The Crimson Tide will head to Norman to take on the four-time defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners. Riley is the game's winning pitcher while Lemley takes the loss. Briski will be credited with a save.

Latest updates will be at the top.

Bottom 7

Down goes McMillan. The home run champ goes down swinging and Alabama is one out away.

Briski is warming up in the circle. McMillan, the nation's leading slugger, awaits.

One swing of the bat is all it takes to change a game. Castine, the nine-hole hitter, just took Riley to deep left on an 0-2 pitch. Riley's day is done after 6.1 innings of work.

Chatfield hit a line drive that ricocheted off Riley's leg. Chatfield is safe at first with one out. Staff came to check on Riley, and she is staying out there to try to get the final two outs.

Martin started heading towards first base after what she thought was ball four. It was called a strike, moving the count to 3-1. She grounded out to Duscherer and the Hokies are down to two outs.

Top 7

Duscherer and Preuitt go down swinging, but Vandagriff walks. She's made it on base in three of her four plate appearances. Johnson flies out and now we may be down to the final three outs of the Tuscaloosa Regional.

Hubbard laid a double right down the third base line that was fair by a matter of inches. Crimson Tide is back in scoring position.

END 6: Alabama 3, Virginia Tech 0

Bottom 6

Duscherer just created a highlight-worthy moment, catching LeGette's line drive that was hit right to her. She applied the tag to Blackwell as she was diving back into first and the inning is over.

Peck pops up to Hawkins for the first out.

Blackwell hits a lead-off single as the Hokies are running out of chances to tie the game.

Top 6

Giles, the lone batter not to hit in the fifth, pops up to start the inning. Hawkins grounds out, and Ellestad flies out to left. That was a six-pitch frame for the Hokies.

END 5: Alabama 3, Virginia Tech 0

Bottom 5

Lynch pops up to Hawkins, and then Riley gets Yaeger looking. That's Riley's first strikeout since she recorded two in the first inning.

McMillan is now 0-3 on the day. Riley has had her number all afternoon. She just hit a line drive directly to Preuitt in right.

Top 5

Heivilin flies out to end the frame. Alabama strands two, but notches three hits and three runs. The Crimson Tide is nine outs away from the Super Regional.

Johnson hit what should have been an inning-ending flyout to left, but left fielder Martin stumbled running towards the ball and could not make the catch, and it's a two-RBI double. Ellestad and Pate score, and Alabama leads 3-0 with runners on second and third.

It's a four-pitch walk for Audrey Vandagriff. Alabama is on the board. None of Lemley's pitches even appeared particularly close to the zone.

Preuitt was clearly ready to put out a sac fly, but she did not get enough power under it. Hawkins was held back at third. Vandagriff is back up with two down.

Duscherer shows excellent discipline at the plate, walking after the count had been 2-2. Kinley Pate comes in to pinch run for her. Bases loaded, one out.

Hubbard made solid contact, but the ball stayed in the air just long enough for Peck to get there and make the catch in centerfield. Neither runner advances.

And Ellestad follows that up with a perfect bunt. The Hokies never had a chance at making the play. Two on, nobody out, and Virginia Tech is having a circle visit with Hubbard up to bat. Rhoads Stadium is the loudest its been all day.

Leadoff single for Hawkins. The shortstop gets Alabama its third hit of the afternoon.

END 4: Alabama 0, Virginia Tech 0

Bottom 4

Castine flies out to Vandagriff to end the inning. Alea Johnson is also now warming up in the bullpen.

Martin and Rohs just hit consecutive singles. Castine is up with McMillan on deck.

Peck grounds out, and then LeGette flies out to the left field warning track. Warning track balls in consecutive innings for Briski now, which may mean Briski comes in for the sixth to face McMillan.

Jocelyn Briski is warming up in the Alabama bullpen, but Riley is still out there in the circle.

Top 4

Lynch just made an incredible play in the field. Heivilin smacked what looked like a strong single through the gap in left, but Lynch was there to make the catch. Johnson got caught in no man's land and was thrown out at first. Giles flew out a pitch later to end the frame.

Johnson comes through with Alabama's second hit of the game to start the inning. She got it through the left side after a seven-pitch at bat. We'll see if Heivilin can move her into scoring position.

END 3: Alabama 0, Virginia Tech 0

Bottom 3

Aldridge delivered the strongest hit ball of the afternoon to centerfield. A little more power and it would have left the ballpark, but Vandagriff was there to make the catch on the warning track and end the inning.

Catcher Zoe Yaeger just hit a double to left field. Hokies have runners on second and third with designated player Kylie Aldridge up to bat. Alabama is holding a mound visit.

It looked like we were headed for another 1-2-3 frame after Rachael Castine and McMillan both grounded out. Freshman Jordan Lynch had other plans, getting a single down the first base line for Virginia Tech's second hit of the game.

Top 3

Alabama's bats have gone ice-cold after Vandagriff's leadoff triple. Abby Duscherer struck out looking, Larissa Preuitt grounded out directly to first, and Vandagriff struck out looking.

It's been nine straight outs for the Crimson Tide without a baserunner.

END 2: Alabama 0, Virginia Tech 0

Bottom 2

Annika Rohs grounds out directly to Riley on the first pitch she sees. On to the third.

Virginia Tech gets its first baserunner on as Bre Peck walks with one out. She's replaced at first by Emily LeGette after LeGette hits into a fielder's choice. Trinity Martin follows that up with a single and the Hokies are in scoring position.

Top 2

Two weakly hit balls for the Crimson Tide to end the frame. Brooke Ellestad flew out on a 3-1 pitch, and Mari Hubbard fouled out right after.

A lot of strikeouts on both sides early. Salen Hawkins just went down swinging on a 1-2 pitch.

END 1: Alabama 0, Virginia Tech 0

Bottom 1 - Virginia Tech batting

Three up, three down for Catelyn Riley. The senior just mowed through the top of Virginia Tech's lineup in just nine pitches, striking out two, including NCAA home run leader Cori McMillan.

Top 1- Alabama batting

Lauren Johnson fouls out, and then Kali Heivilin and Marlie Giles both go down swinging. Alabama strands Vandagriff at third after her electrifying leadoff triple.

Audrey Vandagriff fought her way through a ten-pitch at bat, recovering from an 0-2 count to hit a standup triple. The freshman's speed was on full display as she raced around the diamond for the extra-base hit.

Pregame

Alabama's game against Virginia Tech will likely be broadcast on ESPN+ but will move to SEC Network after the conclusion of the Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State game.

4:12 p.m. - Alabama has taken the field for line drills, the sun is out and we're getting set for softball.

4:08 p.m. - Virginia Tech has taken the field for line drills as it does appear we are on time for a 4:30 p.m. start.

2:57 p.m. - First pitch was just announced for 4:30 p.m. It will be a while.

2:43 p.m. - The sky has cleared up significantly. Rain is still falling, but it is forecasted to stop within the next few minutes. We're likely still a ways away from getting an official start time.

2:12 p.m. - The floodgates have opened. There is heavy rainfall over the field right now. The forecast now has rain ending around 2:35. It appears as of right now that the game probably will not begin before 3:00 p.m.

2:05 p.m. - Rain is picking up. Looks like there will be at least another 20 minutes of precipitation based on forecasts. We are also still hearing thunder and seeing lightning regularly.

1:53 p.m. - We are still seeing lightning every couple of minutes. Wind has picked up significantly, and a light drizzle has begun. Light rain is expected up until 2:20 at the moment.

1:36 p.m.- Tarp is being rolled on the field.

1:35- Well... I just saw lightning from my seat in Rhoads, so we're definitely not starting in the next 30 minutes. The grounds crew has started to pick up the bases

As of 1:28 p.m., the operations and events crew is meeting out in centerfield. I can't say it looks particularly promising that this game is going to start in the next five minutes. The teams are not in the dugouts.

At the stadium, it has turned cloudy and overcast, but there is not rain currently. It did just thunder at Rhoads.

The game has been delayed for 30 minutes due to lightning within eight miles of the area. The teams had taken the field for the start of the game and were pulled before a pitch could be thrown. Most of the fans are choosing to wait it out in the stadium.

It will be Catelyn Riley (10-3, 2.59 ERA) in the circle for Alabama for the first time this weekend. Emma Lemley (18-7, 2.63 ERA) gets the start for Virginia Tech. She pitched 0.1 innings of relief work in the loss against Alabama yesterday.

Alabama is going with the all crimson uniform today. The Crimson Tide is the designated visiting team for today's game, meaning Alabama will lead off in the top of the first.

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Theodore Fernandez
THEODORE FERNANDEZ

Theodore Fernandez is an intern with BamaCentral and has covered every single University of Alabama sport across his time with The Crimson White and WVUA 23 News. He also works as the play-by-play broadcaster for Alabama’s ACHA hockey team and has interned for Fox Sports. Theodore is currently a sophomore at the University of Alabama majoring in News Media.

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