NORMAN, Okla. – Alabama softball fell in Friday’s Super Regional opener to Oklahoma, 3-0.

Alabama (40-22) will need a win on Saturday to force a game three while Oklahoma (49-7) is one win away from advancing to the Women’s College World Series. The Crimson Tide has rallied from a game one loss to win its Super Regional four times – vs. Stanford (2011), Oklahoma (2015), Northwestern (2023) and Tennessee (2024).

Game two is set for a 2 p.m. CT start Saturday on ESPN.

After two scoreless innings, the Sooners got on the board first with a two-run home run from Kasidi Pickering. Oklahoma added a third via a Sydney Barker RBI single in the fifth inning, bringing the score to its eventual final tally of 3-0. The Tide had runners on base in six of its seven innings, including a runner in scoring position in four of them, but could not bring a run home.

FROM HEAD COACH PATRICK MURPHY

“Well, it was just a good, well-played defensive game that we’re kind of used to in the SEC. They got the key hits and we didn’t. That was the story of the game. We had runners in scoring position but we just didn’t get that key hit. In high-level softball, there are three things that you need: number one, a great start. Oklahoma got that. Number two, team defense. Neither team had an error. And then the third, probably the toughest to get, is a key hit. They got two and we didn’t get any. So kudos to [Sam] Landry. She pitched a good game.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Alabama is now 12-12 all-time vs. Oklahoma, including a 6-7 record in the NCAA Tournament
• The Crimson Tide has rallied from a game one loss to win its Super Regional four times – vs. Stanford (2011), Oklahoma (2015), Northwestern (2023) and Tennessee (2024)
• Alabama further improved its single season record with its 31st double play of the year, a 3-6 double play in the third inning

SCORING SUMMARY

• B3 | Kasidi Pickering scored the first runs of the game with a two-run home run (0-2, 0 Out)
• B5 | Sydney Barker dropped an RBI single into right center (0-3, 2 Out)

UP NEXT: AT NO. 2 OKLAHOMA – NORMAN SUPER REGIONAL (NORMAN, OKLA.)

• Saturday, May 24 – 2 p.m. CT – ESPN