NCAA Softball Live Updates from No. 1 Alabama and USC Upstate (Regional Final)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— No. 1 Alabama and USC Upstate meet on Sunday at Rhoads Stadium for a spot in super regionals. The two teams met in the regional opener on Friday with the Crimson Tide run ruling the Spartans 8-0 in five innings.

Upstate (38-22) fought its way through the losers' bracket on Saturday, beating Southeastern Louisiana in the first game and eliminating Belmont in the evening. The Spartans were the lowest-seeded team in the region but have fought their way to the regional championships game.

Alabama (51-7) just has to win once to advance to Supers for the 20th time. USC Upstate needs to win the first game to force the if-necessary game, which it would also need to win to advance to its first ever appearance in super regionals.

First pitch is scheduled for noon CT, and the game will air on SEC Network. BamaCentral is inside Rhoads Stadium and will provide updates throughout.

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Live updates

FINAL: No. 1 Alabama 9, USC Upstate 0

(latest updates at the top)

Bottom 7- USC Upstate batting

A groundball to short ends the game. Alabama advances to Supers.

A strikeout and fly out bring the Spartans down to their final out.

Alea Johnson comes in to pitch the final inning for Alabama.

MID 7: Alabama 9, USC Upstate 0

Top 7- Alabama batting

Jena Young blasts her second home run of the day to push the Alabama lead to 9-0.

Brooks hits into a fielder's choice. Two outs.

Northport native Holly Beth Brooks comes in to pinch hit for White. This is the first NCAA tournament at-bat for the freshman.

Hawkins singles up the middle, ending her 10-game hitless streak, to score Vandagriff from second. Alabama 7, USC Upstate 0

Mari Hubbard comes in to pinch hit for Taylor and grounds out. Vandagriff moves into scoring position with one out.

Leadoff single through the right side for Vandagriff. She now has three hits on the day and six on the weekend.

END 6: Alabama 6, USC Upstate 0

Bottom 6

A swinging strikeout strands the runner at third and keeps the Spartans off the board.

A groundout to third brings the Spartans down to their final out in the inning, but the runner moves to third on the play.

A sacrifice bunt moves the runner into scoring position with one out for the top of the lineup.

Leadoff single up the middle goes for Upstate's first hit.

MID 6: Alabama 6, USC Upstate 0

Top 6- Alabama batting

Giles strikes out swinging to leave the bases loaded. This game will be played a full seven innings.

Preuitt walks on four pitches to load the bases for Giles.

Pupillo draws a walk to put two on with two out for Preuitt.

Kinley Pate comes in to pinch run for Wells at second.

Wells doubles off the wall in center to score White. Alabama 6, USC Upstate 0

White moves into scoring position with two outs on a ground ball off the bat of Young.

White draws a one-out walk to bring up the top of the lineup. That's the sixth walk drawn today by the Alabama offense.

Nice play by the centerfield with a reaching catch to rob Griggs of a leadoff hit.

Gerritt Griggs will pinch hit for Alabama to open the sixth.

END 5: Alabama 5, USC Upstate 0

Bottom 5- USC Upstate batting

A popup ends the inning and strands the runner.

A two-out error at third by Ambrey Taylor breaks up the no-hitter and gives the Spartans their first baserunner.

4-5-6 due up for the Spartans

MID 5: Alabama 5, USC Upstate 0

Top 5- Alabama batting

Taylor flies out to right field, and Alabama can't add on to its lead.

Vandagriff steals second to move into scoring position with two outs.

Vandagriff lays down a bunt single, and with no one covering third on the bunt, Giles moves all the way to third. Runners on the corners with two outs for Taylor.

Giles draws her second walk of the game to bring up Vandagriff with two outs.

After review, the call on the field is confirmed. Two outs.

Preuitt is thrown out trying to steal second. Alabama is challenging the call.

Roman draws a one-out walk, and Larissa Preuitt comes in to pinch run for her. Preuitt will likely stay in as a defensive replacement.

Alabama needs three runs this inning to enter run-rule territory.

3-4-5 due up for the Crimson Tide

END 4: Alabama 5, USC Upstate 0

Bottom 4- USC Upstate batting

The Spartans are retired in order for the fourth straight inning.

A strikeout goes for the second out.

Moten makes a bare-handed snag in the circle on a ball hit back to her and then makes an accurate enough throw to get the runner. One out.

Top of the lineup coming up for Upstate

MID 4: Alabama 5, USC Upstate 0

Top 4- Alabama batting

Upstate second baseman Ella Christopher makes a diving stop up the middle to rob Wells of a hit that probably saves two runs.

Young steals second to move into scoring position.

Young singles up the middle, and Alabama has runners on the corner with two outs for Wells.

White flies out to center, bringing Alabama down to its final out of the inning.

Hawkins hits into a fielder's choice as Upstate gets the lead runner at second. One out.

Taylor draws a leadoff walk.

Taylor, Hawkins and White due up for Alabama. Hawkins is looking for her first hit since April 25

END 3: Alabama 5, USC Upstate 0

Bottom 3- USC Upstate batting

It's another three up, three down inning for Moten in the circle. She's thrown 38 pitches through the first three innings.

7-8-9 due up for the Spartans

MID 3: Alabama 5, USC Upstate 0

Top 3- Alabama batting

Vandagriff lines out to end the half inning.

Giles draws a two-out walk to keep the inning going.

Pupillo flies out to deep center for the first out of the inning.

Upstate will make a pitching change. Drerup exits, and junior Ashlyn Brown enters.

Make that back-to-back jacks. Brooke Wells crushes her 23rd of the season out to the light pole past the centerfield fence. Alabama 5, USC Upstate 0

Jena Young puts just enough into one to send it over the wall in right/center. Her two-run home run extends the Alabama lead to 4-0

Infield single for White to lead off the inning. Things go much better for her when she puts the ball on the ground and forces the defense to make a play.

9-1-2 due up for Alabama

END 2: Alabama 2, USC Upstate 0

Bottom 2- USC Upstate

Three up, three down for Upstate in the second.

4-5-6 due up for the Spartans

MID 2: Alabama 2, USC Upstate 0

Top 2- Alabama batting

The next two batters are retired, but Alabama takes the lead in the second on Vandagriff's home run.

Vandagriff's ninth HR of the year puts the Tide in front‼️

📺 @SECNetwork | https://t.co/Q7sCGDIdvq #Team30 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/yLzTEANeSs
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) May 17, 2026

Audrey Vandagriff blasts her second home run of the weekend over the left field wall. Alabama 2, USC Upstate 0

Roman steals second, and Giles lays down a sacrifice bunt to move Roman to third with one out.

Roman draws a leadoff walk to give Alabama its first baserunner of the game.

Roman, Giles and Vandagriff due up for the Tide, looking for Alabama's first hit

END 1: Alabama 0, USC Upstate 0

Bottom 1- USC Upstate batting

Upstate goes down in order on just eight pitches.

Moten picks up her first strikeout against the second batter. Two outs.

The first pitch Moten throws in the NCAA tournament is a fly out to center.

MID 1: Alabama 0, USC Upstate 0

Top 1- Alabama batting

Pupillo hits a grounder to short, and Alabama goes down in order in the first inning.

Wells also flies out to center. Two outs

Young puts a charge in on out to the warning track in center, but it is caught for the first out. The wind is blowing in a little bit today at Rhoads.

The first pitch from Drerup is a strike, and this game is underway.

Young, Wells and Pupillo due up for Alabama to get this game going.

Starting lineups

Pregame

Alabama AD Greg Byrne is in the house at Rhoads.

Today's umpires: Robert Guest (home plate), Chelsea Clark (first base), Russell Young (second base), Shane Jackson (third base)

Alabama will be the designated visiting team and bat first.

Vic Moten gets her first NCAA tournament start in the circle for the Crimson Tide. It will be the Friday starter, Maddie Drerup, for USC Upstate. She gave up eight runs on 10 hits to Alabama on Friday.

Alabama is wearing its pinstripe uniforms today.

Around the country, there are 12 SEC teams playing in regional finals.

It is another beautiful, sunny day for softball in Tuscaloosa.

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