Alabama Crimson Tide Softball Ends their 2024 Women’s College World Series Run (2024)

In an unexpected high-scoring affair, Alabama was eliminated from the 2024 Women’s College World Series by SEC rival Florida Gators.

FLORIDA 6, ALABAMA 4

After a three hour weather delay, the game finally got going a little after 5pm CT with Kayla Beaver in the circle against Keagan Rothrock. Florida put some scare into Bama early on.

The Crimson Tide scored first in the most Team28 way possible. After a Florida blunder in the outfield, Bailey Dowling was standing on second base to lead off the 2nd inning. Jenna Johnson singled her teammate to third base and Riley Valentine drove Dowling in on a ground out to the shortstop.

However, the Gators struck back in the top of the 3rd. It all started with Skylar Wallace who singled on a bang-bang play at first base. Originally, she was called out, but a UF challenged overturned the call. A walk and a single plated Wallace and put runners on the corners. A fielder’s choice gave Florida a 2-1 lead.

Alabama quickly answered when Lauren Johnson walked and Kristen White singled to lead off the bottom of the 3rd. After Kenleigh Cahalan struck out, it was again time for the heroics of Marlie Giles to knock in LJ with a single. Unfortunately, Dowling grounded into a double play to end the frame knotted at 2-2.

More trouble for Beaver came in the 4th when UF put two on via one baggers but could not score. The Gators did break through in the next inning when Bama coach Patrick Murphy (Gut) brought in Jocelyn Briski to replace Beaver as the Tide ace was not exactly fooling too many batters. Unfortunately, Florida greeted the freshman hurler with a single, walk, single to give them back the lead.

Briski got the next three outs but the damage was done. She would now have to hope against hope that her teammates could rustle up some offense.

At this point, you could feel the energy from Florida and the mopey sad feels from the Tide. A good coaching staff may have found a way to reignite a spark under this team. Instead, Murphy called on his Gut® to make the rest of the decisions. After UF put two on with a single and a fielding error by second baseman Kali Heivilin and two away, The Gut® made an astounding move to yank Briski and bring in Alea Johnson who had not participated in a game since May 4, 2024 - almost a month ago. Can you guess what happened?

Alabama came back in the bottom of the 6th with - of course - Giles getting things going with a leadoff single. After Dowling flied out, Jenna Johnson and Lauren Esman singled as well to load the bases. A fielder’s choice by Valentine plated one run. Heivilin singled in another run to make it 6-4. Lauren Johnson flied out to right field to end the rally.

Bama went down in order in the 7th to end the run of Team28.

Beaver gave up six hits which was double the Gators output from their last two combined games. She lasted 4.0 innings and gave up two runs while striking out no Florida batters - something she did only one other time all season when throwing a full inning or more.

Briski (10-6) takes yet another tough loss. It is unclear if it was nerves or if she was not properly warmed up or if UF was just on her. But a likely culprit of this L is probably Briski not being properly prepared to enter the game in some aspect.

Cahalan had a tough day going 0-3 with 2 Ks. The Gut® pinch-hit for her in the bottom of the 7th with one of his pet students Larissa Preuitt and her .200 batting average and 9 RBIs because he thought she was due for that big 5-run home run. Instead, she struck out.

Abby Duchscherer (.257, 30 RBI - tied for most on the team) did not play. Be on the lookout for her winning SEC POY at another school in the future.

One last highlight:

This defeat brings an end to the 2023-2024 athletic season for the University of Alabama outside of six Crimson Tide Track & Field athletes participating in the NCAA Championships next week. RBR will cease production until Labor Day weekend... Just kidding. We will have plenty of stupid silly stuff for you to read this summer.

MVP

• Game MVP: GILES, 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 RUN
• WCWS MVP: GILES 4-8, 3 RBI, 2 RUNS, 1 BB
• Season MVP: BEAVER

SCHEDULE

• The Tide now have a sad plane ride home and a fond farewell to eight seniors.
• Florida gets the honor of getting pounded by Oklahoma on Monday. They would have to beat the rested Sooners twice to advance to the Final 2. Good luck with that.

#RollTide #Team28