OKLAHOMA CITY — For Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy, his team's unlikely run to the Women's College World Series began in the fall.
Not in fall ball, but instead, in Alabama football's unlikely run of its own.
Despite an early loss to Texas and a shaky game against South Florida, Alabama went onto win the SEC, handing No. 1 Georgia its first loss in two years in the process. From there, it earned a spot in the College Football Playoff as a No. 4 seed, taking on Michigan in the Rose Bowl, where it came up just short, 27-20, to the eventual national champion.
"I think it started with football," Murphy said. "They lost to Texas. They had a lousy game against South Florida. Then they just kept getting better and better and better. I love being a spring sport because I get to learn from the fall sports."
Then basketball season rolled around, and a similar series of events played out.
Alabama basketball lost in its first game of the SEC Tournament to Florida after receiving a double-bye, but like the football team, it went onto make an unlikely run of its own, becoming the first team in program history to make it to the Final Four.
Once softball season rolled around, Murphy knew his team could do the same.
"Any coach that has a rough start or a rough go, whatever, you don't give up on a team," Murphy said. "You don't give up on anybody."
And it did. But not without its struggles.
The Crimson Tide finished under .500 in conference play for the first time, only winning one conference series throughout the regular season. It finished the season ranked No. 9 in the SEC, losing in its opening game of the conference tournament. It went through a 27-inning scoreless drought and entering the NCAA tournament, it was scoring just over four runs per game and did not have anybody in its lineup batting over .300.
Once the postseason rolled around, though, the Crimson Tide turned on the afterburners, and from there it was rolling.
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"There were sometimes, I won't lie to you guys, throughout the season, where it was like what do we do? How do we get everybody together?" fifth-year senior Jenna Johnson said. "We had many team meetings. We found a way to bring it together, to click at the right time."
Alabama swept its competition in the Tuscaloosa Regional, where it run-ruled Southeastern Louisiana 12-2 in the regional championship. From there, it went on the road to take on the No. 3 seed and the regular season SEC champions Tennessee, which had come to Rhoads Stadium a few weekends prior and won the series 2-1 against the Crimson Tide.
Alabama lost its opening game in super regionals 3-2, before bouncing back and winning Game 2 in 14 innings. In a win-or-go-home Game 3, Riley Valentine hit a first inning grand slam, propelling Alabama to a 4-1 victory over the Lady Vols as it punched its 15th ticket to the Women's College World Series in program history.
"We got to points where we didn't know what to do, but we never gave up," senior Bailey Dowling said. "We kept fighting for each other. We fought to get here when nobody thought we'd get here."
In Oklahoma City, Alabama lost its opening game to No. 6 UCLA, 4-1. Just one game away from elimination, Alabama once again had its back against the wall, but was in similar territory. It was win or go home for Alabama vs. No. 10 Duke, and Alabama was not yet ready to go home. It won its game over Duke, 2-1, behind a solo home run by Marlie Giles.
Alabama was unable to pull out one more win, falling one game short of the Women's College World Series semifinals in a 6-4 loss to No. 4 Florida on Sunday. Still, for the Crimson Tide players, it was a season that will be remembered not just for the run that they made, but in how they did it.
"I could not be more proud for what this team has done," fifth-year senior Kayla Beaver said. "What we accomplished this year, and when I say 'nobody', except for us thought we would be here. If we didn't, we proved so many people wrong. We created a legacy for Alabama softball and for girls to come in and look up to.
"Getting to finish my season at the World Series, there's nothing that will ever beat that."
