Alabama vs. Tennessee softball game sets record as longest NCAA Tournament game between SEC opponents

When Alabama vs. Tennessee went to the 14th inning, it meant the two teams would play the equivalent of two games on Saturday. The Knoxville Super Regional turned into a marathon contest, and if the Crimson Tide managed to pull out the victory, it meant the two teams would play again on Sunday.

By going past the 13th inning, the matchup made unique history.

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The longest Super Regional game in history also became the longest NCAA Tournament game between SEC opponents in history. It was also the longest NCAA Tournament game between conference since the 2011 Women’s College World Series, which saw Florida and Alabama play 14 innings.

It turns out 14 was the magic number. Kristen White came up with the clutch hit with the bases loaded and nobody out, giving Alabama the 3-2 victory and forcing a decisive Game 3 on Sunday with a trip to Oklahoma City on the line.

The game got off to an exciting start. Alabama scored in the bottom of the first, but Tennessee answered back with an RBI single from Laura Mealer to make it 1-1. That score held until the fourth inning when Sophia Nugent hit a solo home run to put the Lady Vols on top, but Bailey Dowling answered with a solo shot of her own in the bottom half to knot it back up at 2-2.

For 10 innings, that was the score, despite multiple opportunities for both teams.

All told, Tennessee left 18 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the top of the 10th. Alabama left 10 runners on base in the game, but managed to capitalize in the 14th to finally end things and keep the season going for at least one more game.

Jocelyn Briski started the game for Alabama and threw four innings before Kayla Beaver came in and held Tennessee scoreless over her 10 innings of work, throwing 165 pitches during that time. On the Lady Vols side, Payton Gottshall went 3.2 innings to start, and Karlyn Pickens finished the final 9.1 innings – only allowing the RBI single to White in the 14th inning as her lone blemish on the scorecard.

Now, Tennessee and Alabama will get ready for a third game on Saturday, with one team emerging with a ticket to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.