Photo courtesy Alabama Athletics
Fall practice has wrapped up around the country in Division I, which allows us to set our sights on the 2024 season that lies ahead.
Early focus will be centered on the University of Oklahoma as they begin the quest to become the first team in Division I history to win four consecutive national championships.
The Sooners tied UCLA (1988, 1989, 1990) as the only teams to ever win three consecutive titles when they defeated Florida State to claim the 2023 title.
Extra Inning Softball will be reviewing the 41 national champions that have previously hoisted the trophy.
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2012 Alabama Crimson Tide
The Venue: ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, Oklahoma City, Okla.
The Head Coach: Patrick Murphy
The Players (Women’s College World Series Roster): Kayla Braud, Jazkyn Lunceford, Kemia Davis, Jackey Branham, Jordan Patterson, Jennifer Fenton, Courtney Conley, Kaila Hunt, Lauren Sewell, Kendall Dawson, Danae Hays, Jadyn Spencer, Cassie Reilly-Boccia, Danielle Richard, Chaunsey Bell, Amanda Locke, Leslie Jury, Olivia Gibson, Ryan Iamurri, Jackie Traina
The Regular Season: Alabama entered the 2012 season looking to make history. Three times a team from the Southeastern Conference had advanced to the championship finals, but each time they came up short of winning the title. The Crimson Tide had made seven previous trips to the WCWS and won two games in 2011 before dropping back-to-back games against Florida. Alabama finished the regular season with a 50-7 record and finished first in the SEC Western Division with a 23-5 record. The Crimson Tide then captured the SEC Tournament title with victories over Mississippi State, Georgia and Florida. Alabama, which won 36 of its first 37 games, was led offensively by Jennifer Fenton, Kayla Braud, Kaila Hunt and Amanda Locke. Fenton led the Crimson Tide with a .386 batting average and 44 stolen bases, while Braud hit .345 and recorded 41 steals. Hunt led the team with 21 home runs and 77 RBIs, while Locke added 18 homers and 56 RBIs. Jackie Traina was the Crimson Tide standout in the circle as she finished the season with a 42-3 record and a 1.87 earned run average. Leslie Jury posted an 11-4 record and a 2.75 ERA. Locke (1st Team), Hunt (1st Team), Traina (1st Team) and Fenton (2nd Team) were named All-Americans by Easton and Traina (1st Team), Locke (2nd Team), Hunt (2nd Team) and Fenton (3rd Team) were named All-American by the NFCA.
The Regional: Alabama began the postseason by hosting the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional which featured Tennessee-Martin, Georgia Tech, South Alabama and the Crimson Tide. Alabama began regional play against Tennessee-Martin and posted a 5-1 victory in the opener. Kaila Hunt hit a two-run single and Cassie Reilly-Boccia added an RBI single as the Crimson Tide jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Crimson Tide extended the lead to 4-0 in the second on a home run from Danae Hays. It was more than enough offense for Amanda Locke who went 7.0 innings and allowed just three hits to pick up the win. Alabama faced South Alabama in game two of the regional and overcame an early deficit to post a 5-2 win. The Jaguars scored a run in the bottom of the second inning, but Alabama responded with three runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead for good. Jennifer Fenton singled in Hays for the first Crimson Tide run and Hunt hit a two-run homer giving Alabama a 3-1 lead. In the fifth inning, the Crimson Tide extended the lead with a sacrifice fly from Fenton and an RBI triple from Jackie Traina. Traina also picked up the win in the circle as she went 7.0 innings, allowing two hits and striking out 10 batters. Alabama closed out the regional with a 6-0 victory over South Alabama behind the pitching of Traina as she went seven scoreless innings and struck out 10. Fenton had two hits and drove in two runs, while Reilly-Boccia went 3-for-3 and had an RBI.
The Super Regional: Alabama stayed at home for the Super Regional as it hosted Michigan. Game one belonged to Jackie Traina as she held the Wolverines to just three hits leading the Crimson Tide to a 4-1 win. Alabama scored first when Courtney Conley hit an RBI double in the second inning giving the Crimson Tide a 1-0 lead. In the fifth inning, Alabama took advantage of a Michigan error to plate three runs as Kaila Hunt hit a two-run double and Jazkyn Lunceford produced an RBI single giving the Crimson Tide a 4-0 lead. Michigan scored in the sixth inning to spoil the shutout, but Traina struck out 10 batters in her route-going performance. Game two featured a Crimson Tide comeback that resulted in securing a berth in the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla. Michigan scored in the bottom of the first to take an early lead, but Alabama with a sacrifice fly from Kendall Dawson that tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning. Michigan quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the second with a pair of runs giving the Wolverines a 3-1 lead. Alabama tied the game in the fifth inning when Jennifer Fenton singled with one out and Hunt followed with a two-run home run. The Crimson Tide scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI triple from Kayla Braud. Traina retired the Wolverines in order in the sixth and worked out of a jam in the seventh inning to secure the win.
The Field at the Women’s College World Series: Alabama, Arizona State, California, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Florida, Tennessee
The Crimson Tide at the Women’s College World Series: Alabama opened the WCWS against SEC rival Tennessee and the Crimson Tide used a big first inning to post a 5-3 victory. Cassie Reilly-Boccia delivered a bases-clearing, three-run double and Jackie Traina drew a bases-loaded walk as the Crimson Tide scored four times in the bottom of the first inning. The Lady Vols responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to cut the lead to 4-2, but Alabama pushed the lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning when Jennifer Fenton followed a Kayla Braud double with an RBI single. Tennessee would not go quietly as the Lady Vols scored a run in the top of the seventh inning and had the tying runs on base, but Traina recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the game. Game two for the Crimson Tide featured a game against defending national champion Arizona State. Traina and Dallas Escobedo hooked up in a pitcher’s duel, but late offense carried the Crimson Tide to a 2-1 win. Arizona State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Fenton tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning on an RBI single. Alabama took the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning when Amanda Locke homered to centerfield giving the Crimson Tide a 2-1 lead. The Sun Devils put the tying run on second base in the seventh inning, but Traina finished the game with a strikeout. With a trip to the championship finals looming, Alabama faced California in its third game of the WCWS and Traina turned in another outstanding performance. She went 7.0 innings and allowed just two hits and struck out six batters leading Alabama to a 5-2 win. Kaila Hunt went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and Braud and Traina each added two hits to lead the Alabama offense. With the win, Alabama secured a spot in the championship finals for the first time in school history.
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