Alabama Softball Arrives in Oklahoma City for Women’s College World Series

Thursday, May 30

Oklahoma City

11 a.m. CT

Alabama

UCLA

Alabama Softball Arrives in Oklahoma City for Women’s College World Series

5/28/2024 4:37:00 PM | Softball

Game Notes (PDF)Live Audio (97.5 FM)Live Video (ESPN)

The Crimson Tide opens play Thursday against UCLA at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN

OKLAHOMA CITY – For the 15th time in program history, Alabama is heading to the Women's College World Series as the Crimson Tide will open play in Oklahoma City on Thursday, May 30 at 11 a.m. CT against UCLA on ESPN

This Week: Women's College World Series

Oklahoma City – Devon Park
- Thursday, May 30 vs. UCLA – 11 a.m. CT
TV: ESPN
Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network at 97.5 FM in Tuscaloosa | nick975.com | Varsity App

Scouting Alabama

For the 15th time in program history, Alabama is heading to the Women's College World Series as the Crimson Tide will open play in Oklahoma City on Thursday, May 30 at 11 a.m. CT against UCLA on ESPN
Alabama punched its ticket to OKC with a Super Regional series win last weekend against Tennessee in Knoxville, rebounding from a 3-2 loss in game one to win game two, 3-2, in 14 innings and clinch the series with a 4-1 win in game three
The series win was the Tide's 13th Super Regional victory in 18 appearances, but just its second to come on the road having not done so since 2005 at Texas A&M
Riley Valentine is leading the offense in the NCAA Tournament, batting 7-for-17 (.412) with a team-leading eight RBIs and two home runs while Kenleigh Cahalan is close behind at 8-for-20 (.400) and five RBIs
The Tide bullpen has allowed just six earned runs over 48.0 postseason innings pitched, good for a 0.88 staff ERA
Alabama returns 15 letterwinners from last year's Women's College World Series squad, including 2023 All-SEC honoree Larissa Preuitt, 2023 NFCA All-Region Kenleigh Cahalan, 2023 All-SEC and SEC All-Tournament Team Jenna Johnson and 2022 All-SEC and All-Region Bailey Dowling
Seven newcomers are on the Tide roster in 2024, including freshmen Lauren Johnson (Franklin, Tenn.) and Jocelyn Briski (Phoenix, Ariz.) and transfers Kayla Beaver (Central Arkansas), Kendal Clark (DMACC), Alea Johnson (LSU), Kinley Pate (Samford) and Riley Valentine (Texas A&M)

Alabama in the Women's College World Series

Alabama will be making its 15th trip to the Women's College World Series, owning a 22-27 all-time record in Oklahoma City
The Tide has more appearances than any other SEC team, three ahead of second-place Florida (12)
Alabama's first appearance came in 1999, the program's third season in existence and its first under then first-year head coach Patrick Murphy
The Tide would earn two wins for the first time in 2008 and has won at least two games in seven of the 10 appearances since
Alabama won the national title in 2012, the first NCAA softball championship for the Southeastern Conference
With 15 WCWS appearances over 28 seasons as a Division-1 softball program, the Tide has qualified more often than it hasn't, a feat only UCLA and Arizona can also claim

Last Time Out: Knoxville Super Regional

No. 14 seed Alabama traveled to Knoxville, Tenn., to face No. 3 seed Tennessee in last weekend's Knoxville Super Regional, falling in game one before rallying with wins in games two and three to take the series
The win was the Crimson Tide's 13th Super Regional series victory in the 18 rounds it has played in
It was just Alabama's second Super Regional series win on the road, previously doing so in 2005 at Texas A&M
As a No. 3 seed, Tennessee is the highest-ranked opponent the Tide has ever defeated in a Super Regional series
It is the fourth time Alabama has bounced back from a game one loss to win the Super Regional series, doing so in 2011 vs. Stanford, 2015 vs. Oklahoma and 2023 vs. Northwestern
The 14-inning game two victory was the longest Super Regional game in NCAA history and Alabama's longest NCAA Tournament game in program history
Kenleigh Cahalan led the team at the plate, batting 5-for-13 (.385) including a career-best three hits in Sunday's finale
Riley Valentine drove in five of the team's eight RBIs, four of which came on a first-inning grand slam in game three
Kayla Beaver and Jocelyn Briski combined to allow just three earned runs over 27.0 innings pitched

Kayla Beaver Named NFCA All-South Region

Alabama fifth-year senior pitcher Kayla Beaver was named Second Team All-South Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association
This year marks the second-straight Second Team All-Region honor for Beaver, doing so in 2023 at Central Arkansas in the Southeast Region
This year's award is the 119th in Alabama program history, with at least one honoree every year since the Crimson Tide's inaugural 1997 season

Wearing It

Jenna Johnson's 16 HBP this season is tied for the single-season school record at Alabama, matching Amanda Locke's record mark set in 2010
With 27 HBP over her Tide career, Johnson is tied for 10th in the UA career rankings

Turning Two

Alabama has turned 21 double plays this season, which is the third-most in UA single-season history
It is the first time the Tide has totaled more than 20 double plays in a season since 2009

Most Double Plays Turned in a Season

26 (2003)
24 (2000, 09)
21 (2024)
20 (1998, 2002, 05, 07)
19 (2004, 14, 18, 22)

Triple Threat

Kenleigh Cahalan hit her fifth triple of the season in the Regional championship against Southeastern, which leads the team and is tied for the lead in the SEC
She is the seventh Crimson Tide player have hit five or more in a season, the first since Haylie McCleney in 2016
Kelly Kretschman and Carrie Moreman both hold the UA single-season record, hitting seven each during the 1998 season

Most Triples in a Season

7 - Kelly Kretschman - 1998
7 - Carrie Moreman - 1998
6 - Ashley Courtney - 2005
5 - Jordan Praytor - 2005
5 - Demi Turner - 2015
5 - Haylie McCleney - 2016
5 - Kenleigh Cahalan - 2024

Tide Trends

Alabama is 32-4 this season when scoring first and 17-2 when scoring in the first inning
The Crimson Tide is 28-1 when leading after 5.0 innings, 0-12 when trailing but has rallied to win four of its six games that have been tied after 5.0 innings
Alabama has scored its most runs in the first inning (51), 14 more runs than the next-highest of 37 in the fourth inning
Tide pitching has only allowed two or more home runs in three games this season
Kenleigh Cahalan leads the team with 14 multi-hit games this season, three of which have come in NCAA Tournament play
Abby Duchscherer leads the team with eight multi-RBI games while Cahalan, Jenna Johnson, Riley Valentine and Kali Heivilin all trail close behind with six each
Kayla Beaver was one of four SEC pitchers to throw seven or more shutouts this season, along with Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens (12), Texas A&M's Emiley Kennedy (10) and Auburn's Maddie Penta (7)

Nothing Extra

Alabama pitching has only allowed 56 extra base hits this season, the fewest of any SEC team
In each individual category, The Tide has also allowed the fewest doubles (33), triples (1) and second-fewest home runs (22) of any team in the league

Extra Base Hits Allowed (through Super Regionals)

Alabama - 56
Tennessee - 64
Arkansas - 70
Texas A&M - 84
LSU - 87
South Carolina - 90
Ole Miss - 90
Florida - 91
Mississippi State - 91
Auburn - 102
Georgia - 110
Kentucky - 112
Missouri - 123

Alabama in SEC Play

Alabama is 512-211 (.708) all-time in SEC play, including a 477-190 (.715) mark under Head Coach Patrick Murphy
The Crimson Tide has won six SEC regular season titles (2006, '10, '11, '12, '14 and '19) and six SEC Tournament titles (1998, 2003, '05, '10, '12 and '21)
The Tide is the only team to win the SEC Tournament on its home field, doing so in 2012 and 2021

Sweet Home Alabama

Alabama sports a 731-143 (.836) all-time record at home, including a 695-127 (.845) mark under Head Coach Patrick Murphy (1999-pres.) and a 676-123 (.846) record at Rhoads Stadium, the Tide's home field since 2000
Since Rhoads Stadium opened in 2000, Alabama has won at least 25 home games in 20 of its 24 previous years there