The Alabama baseball team avenged its worst loss of the season and got off to a good start in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional today with a 5-3 victory over Central Florida at Dick Howser Stadium on the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee, Fla.

The second-seeded Knights had defeated the third-seeded Crimson Tide 12-4 on Feb. 27 at Mobile. Their runs and 18 hits were season-high totals allowed this season by Alabama. Eight of the nine starters in that game started again today for the Knights. Only five of the Tide's starters today were in the starting lineup in that loss in the seventh game of the season.

That game was not started by Tide ace Nathan Kilcrease. The senior right-hander went seven innings today as he made the 88th appearance of his career, breaking the school record that Lance Cormier set in 2002. Kilcrease (8-4) held the Knights to two runs on four hits. He walked four and tied his career high with 10 strikeouts.

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OKLAHOMA CITY - Alabama senior Kelsi Dunne and freshman Jackie Traina combined to allow just one hit to down No. 7-seeded Cal, 1-0, Thursday afternoon at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. The victory in the opening game of the Women's College World Series is a first for the Crimson Tide as it improves to 52-9 on the season.

Dunne baffled the Golden Bears hitters all afternoon with her movement and wide array of pitches before relenting to the freshman Traina, who struck out two in the final frame to earn her third save of the season and second in the postseason.

Dunne (28-4) went six innings and allowed one hit and walked one while striking out a WCWS career-high 11 batters. Dunne eclipsed the 1,200 strikeout mark for her career, moving to 24th on the NCAA career strikeout list.

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The road to Omaha will go through Tallahassee, Fla., for the Alabama baseball team.

The Crimson Tide is the No. 3 seed in an NCAA regional that Florida State will play host to.

Alabama (33-26) will meet second-seeded Central Florida (38-21) in the first round.

Top-seeded Florida State (42-17) with meet fourth-seeded Bethune-Cookman (36-23) in another first-round game.

Florida State is the No. 5 seed overall in the 64-team field.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 2 seed Alabama softball team (51-9) will open the Women’s College World Series against No. 7 seed California (44-11). The two teams will start the competition at Oklahoma City on Thursday, June 2, at Noon CT. Pam Ward and Michele Smith will call the action on ESPN2 from ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

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The Alabama Crimson Tide softball team beat the Stanford Cardinal, 1-0, in the decisive third game of the 2011 NCAA Softball Tuscaloosa Super Regional in Rhoads Stadium Friday night. With the win, Alabama advances to the Women’s College World Series for the seventh time in the program’s 15-year history.

“That was one of the best ball games we have had in the stadium, one of the best crowds, one of the best atmospheres,” UA head coach Patrick Murphy said. “It was awesome.”

The Tide (51-9) had to win both games on Friday after losing the series opener to the Cardinal, 5-2, Thursday. Alabama rolled in the Super Regional’s second game, scoring in every inning, and invoking the run rule to win 10-0 in five innings. The third game was a much tighter affair, with both teams grinding out four hits apiece, but only one of those crossing the plate.

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HOOVER -- The seventh-seeded Alabama baseball team is off to the same start in the Southeastern Conference Tournament that it had a year ago when it defeated No. 2 Auburn 7-1.

This time, Arkansas was the No. 2 seed, and the Razorbacks fell to the Crimson Tide 7-4 this morning in the opening game of the tournament at Regions Park.

Alabama scored five runs in the first inning and Nathan Kilcrease (7-4) tied his career high with 10 strikeouts. In eight innings, he allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits. He walked one.

The Tide (33-24) will play at 4:30 p.m. Thursday against the winner of today's game between No. 3 Florida and No. 6 Mississippi State. Arkansas (36-19) will meet the loser of that game at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

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TUSCALOOSA -- Alabama brushed away its NCAA regional opponents, swatting at them like house flies.

The Crimson Tide snuffed out the final nuisance Sunday with an 11-2 win against Chattanooga to clinch its seventh straight regional title, and ninth overall.

Alabama outscored its opponents 26-3, allowed eight hits and committed just one error in three games.

Now it's up to Alabama coach Patrick Murphy to figure out how to help his team carry over the dominance it displayed this weekend. The Tide will host a best-of-three super regional this weekend at Rhoads Stadium, where 2,028 fans watched Sunday's game.

Alabama will host Stanford at 7 p.m. on Thursday in a best-of-three series. The second game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Friday, and if necessary a 6 p.m. game to decide the series

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama softball team claimed the Tuscaloosa Regional championship in impressive fashion as it raced past Chattanooga, 11-2, Sunday at Rhoads Stadium. With the win the Crimson Tide improve to 49-8 overall and have now won 23 straight at home and seven straight NCAA regional titles.

"I just want to say congratulations to Chattanooga on a great year," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "I thought Kelsi (Dunne) did a great job against a very good lineup, and we played great defense behind her. That first inning set the tone with (Jennifer) Fenton and (Kayla) Braud getting on. It was just full on from there"

Senior Kelsi Dunne (26-3) earned her second win of the regional on the strength of five shutout innings. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out eight in the 84-pitch effort.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama freshman pitcher Jackie Traina tossed her first career no-hitter to blank Jackson State, 8-0, Friday evening at Rhoads Stadium. With the win, the Crimson Tide improve to 47-8 overall and 21-0 in front of its home crowd.

"I thought Jackie Traina was awesome," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "Obviously it's her first NCAA tournament appearance, and she throws a no hitter, nine strike-outs, and no walks. I don't know how much better she can be. I thought we took advantage of our speed and our short game. We put the ball in play enough to get the eight runs."

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TUSCALOOSA - Thanks to strong pitching by Nathan Kilcrease and an out at home plate, an up-and-down Alabama baseball team is headed to Hoover for next week's Southeastern Conference Tournament.

A first-inning error helped Alabama score two unearned runs, and that's all the Crimson Tide needed Thursday night to defeat second-ranked South Carolina 2-1 before a crowd of 3,523 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Alabama (32-22, 14-14) came into the game tied with Mississippi State, Auburn and Arkansas for first place in the SEC Western Division. All three teams lost Thursday night.


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