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Alabama softball vs Oklahoma takeaways: 3 takeaways from NCAA super regional loss
Alabama softball's 2025 season is officially on the line.
In the first game of the Norman Super Regional in the NCAA Tournament, the No. 15 Crimson Tide were blanked by Oklahoma 3-0, leaving the Sooners one win away from a Women's College World Series berth.
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Alabama will face Oklahoma in Game 2 at 2 p.m. May 24 in Norman.
Here are three takeaways from Alabama's NCAA super regional loss to Oklahoma in the first game of super regionals.
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Alabama softball, meet Oklahoma pitcher Sam Landry
The first inning seemingly set the tone for Alabama's offense against Oklahoma pitcher Sam Landry.
The Crimson Tide offense only had one base runner after a Kali Heivilin walk. But Landry was forced to work for the scoreless inning, throwing 20 pitches to four batters.
Alabama continued to put Landry to work, forcing the Oklahoma pitcher into numerous at bats of eight pitches or more. But Landry seemed unperturbed, finishing with seven shutout innings allowing four hits, two walks and five strikeouts on 108 pitches.
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Landry was Alabama's second shutout of the season after LSU beat the Tide 8-0 on April 4.
FROM THE WIN: Alabama softball vs Virginia Tech live updates: Score, highlights from NCAA regional final
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One inning defines Jocelyn Briski Alabama softball performance
The first time through the Oklahoma order, Jocelyn Briski was dealing.
The Alabama pitcher allowed a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch her first time through the Sooners lineup.
But after walking Oklahoma center fielder Abigale Dayton to begin the third inning, Briski began to struggle, allowing a two-run home runs to Kasidi Pickering, the first of three hits in the inning. The struggles returned in the fifth with two hits including an RBI single by Sydney Barker.
Alabama softball has seen this narrative before
Alabama has been here before.
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In 2024, the Crimson Tide lost 3-2 in its first super regional game against Tennessee before beating the Volunteers 3-2 in 14 innings and exploding for a 4-1 win to secure a Women's College World Series berth.
Same in 2023, when a 3-1 loss to Northwestern turned into two straight wins and a Women's College World Series berth.
In 2025, Oklahoma, which has won four straight national championships, is in the way. But it's a narrative Alabama seems comfortable in.
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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama-Oklahoma softball: Tide returns to familiar NCAA super regional narrative
