No. 15 Alabama Softball Scrapes Past Virginia Tech to Advance to Championship Sunday

The Crimson Tide used aggressive baserunning to stay unbeaten in regional play.

Kali Heivilin / @AlabamaSB on Twitte

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- No. 15 Alabama softball played flawlessly on Friday to run rule Jackson State in the opening game of the 2025 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional. Strong pitching performances paired with timely offense propelled the Crimson Tide into Saturday's winner's bracket game against the other marquee team in the regional, Virginia Tech.

The Crimson Tide's Saturday performance was far from flawless, but Alabama battled adversity and kept its record clean in the regional, defeating Virginia Tech 4-3 to advance to Sunday's championship series.

"Well if you've seen the previous games with Virginia Tech you should have known that it was going to be, close," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "Great college softball game. That's the way it's been since they started coming down here. I'll say it to everybody here, I told him, that I will make my way up to Blacksburg at some point to return a trip. I think I should do that. I think that's fair. They've come down here three times, now four with this, this trip doesn't count though. Quality team, great coaches and it was a good college softball game."

Virginia Tech jumped all over Alabama starting pitcher Jocelyn Briski in the first inning to put the Crimson Tide behind the eight ball early. Briski walked NCAA home run leader Cori McMillan and Jordan Lynch, putting the Hokies first two batters on base without a swing.

Alabama pitching coach Lance McMahon took an early trip to the circle to calm Briski, but the challenging circumstances remained. Kylie Aldridge stepped up for the Hokies to load the bases after Briski struck out Zoe Yaeger. Virginia Tech scored a run on a sacrifice fly and nearly broke the game open in the first frame as Emily LeGette roped a single into the outfield. Leggette's single scored Aldrige but Lauren Johnson's throw from the outfield gunned down Bre Peck at the plate to save a run and end the inning.

Briski overcame her challenging start and settled in to limit the Hokies, after allowing three hits and two walks in the first inning, she gave up just four hits with three walks over the final six innings to keep the Crimson Tide in the game.

Alabama dug into the game after falling behind early thanks to aggressive base running and one big swing. Brooke Ellestad opened the Crimson Tide's second inning with a single up the middle and worked her way to third on two wild pitches. Ellestad came into score on a drop-third strike on Abby Duchscherer, cutting the lead to 2-1.

The Crimson Tide took the lead in the next inning after more aggression on the base paths. Audrey Vandagriff opened the inning with a walk and then stole second and third on an errant throw from the catcher. Johnson lined out on a hard-hit ball, looking for the tying run, but Alabama's Kali Heivilin stepped up to keep her strong NCAA Regionals going.

Heivilin hit a two-run home run to straight away centerfield to take a 3-2 lead and put the Crimson Tide in control. Heivilin's two RBIs bring her regional tally to four RBIs on three hits with three runs scored while also drawing two walks.

Alabama added another in the fourth inning with solid two-out hitting. Duchscherer drew a two-out walk, Larissa Preuitt got on base with a throwing error and Vandagriff cashed in the run with a single into left field to stretch the Crimson Tide's lead to two.

Aldridge cut into Alabama's lead in the fifth inning for Virginia Tech with a solo home run, but the Hokies couldn't string anything more as Briski was in control. Trinity Martin drew a walk in the fifth inning but she was stranded on first to end the inning.

Virginia Tech got Jordan Lynch on base in the seventh with a leadoff single, but Alabama's defense remained calm and Briski's command forced two ground outs and a pop out to end the game and put the Crimson Tide in Sunday's championship series.

The Crimson Tide's offense wasn't pretty but utilized Emma Mazzarone's five walks, three wild pitches, the Hokies' three defensive errors, and stayed aggressive on the base paths with two stolen bases to scrape enough runs together to stay unbeaten in the regional.

The Crimson Tide plays in the winner's bracket on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.

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