Alabama Falls One Game Short of Championship Series with Two Losses to Texas Tech

OKLAHOMA CITY–– Alabama needed just one win in two tries against Texas Tech on Monday to reach its first Women's College World Series championship series since 2014. The top-seeded Crimson Tide could not get a win in either try.

After a tightly contested first game, Alabama's offense disappeared in the second matchup as No. 11 Texas Tech shut out the Tide offense behind the arm of NiJaree Canady for a 2-0 win to end Alabama's hopes at a national title.

Audrey Vandagriff doubled with two outs in the seventh inning to bring the game-tying run to the plate, but a nice running catch in right field on a ball off the bat of Ambrey Taylor ended the game.

"We had to go on, move on, and learn from whatever happened, and then start competing again," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said after the game. "I thought Briski gave us a great start. I really did. I still thought Ambrey Taylor was going to hit a bomb, and we'd be here for another two hours. When Audrey hit the double, I'm like here we go. She got a piece of it, but she made a good play in right field."

Alabama's pitchers, Jocelyn Briski and Vic Moten, put Alabama in a position to win both games, but the offense could not come through. The Tide trailed 4-2 heading into the seventh inning of Game 1, and Jena Young tied it in the top of the inning with a two-run home run. The excitement was short lived as Texas Tech's Mia Williams hit a leadoff home run in the bottom half of the frame to force the if-necessary game with a 5-4 win.

The Crimson Tide offense could never get things going in the second matchup with just two hits and four total baserunners after collecting 10 hits and four runs in the opening matchup. Canady looked the part of the highest paid player in college softball and had a vintage WCWS performance.

"I think she just controlled the zone really well," Alabama catcher Marlie Giles said. "She started off getting a lot of first pitch strikes and then would make us chase, whether that was change, whether that was up in the zone. She's a really good pitcher, and she had a really good game against us, and we just didn't adjust fast enough."

Briski got the start for Alabama in both games. It was clear she didn't have her best stuff in Game 2, allowing eight hits. Yet she escaped jam out of jam, setting it up for the offense to make a play. Unfortunately for Briski, the offense could not provide her any support.

In Game 1, Alabama held an early lead thanks to an RBI sacrifice fly from Vandagriff in the top of the second inning. Texas Tech answered in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI double from Haile Toney and then took the lead in the third on a solo home run from Lauren Allred. As she has done so many times before at the WCWS, Alabama's captain Giles hit a home run to tie it up in the fourth.

The back-and-forth game ended with Williams' walk-off home run in the seventh.

"You guys know, it's where legends are made, the University of Alabama," Murphy said. "And Jena Young just had a legendary moment there to tie it up, and unfortunately, they had one of their own, but it happened so fast."

Alabama's (56-9) phenomenal season comes up one game short. The Crimson Tide's seven seniors, but particularly Giles, will be remembered for their impact on this team and program.

"I think you guys saw that they played with joy and love for each other, and they were filled with Mudita, and that's exactly what I hope for," Murphy said. "When you play for something bigger than yourself, you look back and have could-a, would-a, should-a, but we really don't need to do that this year. We have love for each other."