The Alabama softball team saw its season end on Sunday in a heart-breaking 6-4 defeat to Florida, ending a run that few saw coming in the first place.
The Crimson Tide have been a dominant program in the past, but this year saw its challenges. The team earned the No. 14 national seed, lined up with No. 3 seed Tennessee in the Super Regionals.
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But not only did Alabama win, it did so in thrilling fashion. So when players look back as the season ends, they’ll have fond memories.
“It was a hard season, but, man, was it so rewarding,” Jenna Johnson said. “I got to end my career at the World Series. I’ve been three times. I’m just so thankful sitting up here today. The opportunity to play with my sister, the way this season has taught me so much about faith. I always had faith in Jesus, but this taught me about faith into people, buying into something you couldn’t see.
“There were some times, I won’t lie to you guys, throughout the season, what do we do? How do we get everybody together? We had many team meetings. We found a way to bring it together, to click at the right time, now we’re at the World Series when nobody chose us and we’re here.”
That sentiment was one shared by multiple teammates. And going by the numbers, it’s accurate to say Alabama softball wasn’t expected to reach the Women’s College World Series.
Not only did Alabama make it there, the Crimson Tide won a game there too.
“This was the most fulfilling team I think I’ve ever been a part of in my life,” Bailey Dowling said. “Not one time during the season did we quit on each other. It got hard. Like Jenna said, we got to points where we didn’t know what to do, but we never gave up. We kept fighting for each other. We fought to get here when nobody thought we’d get here.”
Even one of the Alabama softball’s stars admitted she thought about giving up the sport. That’s how hard things were. Ultimately, though, pitcher Kayla Beaver stuck with it.
And she and the Crimson Tide were rewarded quite handsomely with more memories for a lifetime.
“I think about where I was a year ago, and it’s these girls right here, everybody on this team, this staff, that gave me the love back,” Beaver said. “I wanted to quit. I didn’t want to do it anymore, but they fought for me and let me come in. They made me one of their sisters.
“I could not be more proud for what this team has done. What we accomplished this year and when I say nobody except for us thought we would be here.”
If history is any indication, don’t expect Alabama softball to be down for long. The Crimson Tide will be hungry entering the 2025 season, with a taste of Oklahoma City on the tongue.
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