NCAA Softball Tournament: Women’s College World Series – Alabama vs Nebraska Preview

May 28, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide starting pitcher Jocelyn Briski (23) smiles after her team defeated the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s College World Series at Devon Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

ACCOLADESVic Moten was named First Team All-Freshman by D1Softball. Kaitlyn Pallozzi made the second team.HI, I’M BROOKE AND I HIT DINGERSBrooke Wells’s home run against UCLA was her 24th of the season, putting her two shy of Bailey Hemphill’s single-season record and one behind Kelly Kretschman. • >Alexis Pupillo hit her 20th home run of the season, which ranks fifth in program history and gives the Crimson Tide two 20+ home run hitters in the same season for the first time in program history. • >As a team, Alabama has hit 99 home runs this year and is now five shy of tying the single-season record.SCHEDULESaturday, May 30, Texa$ Tech vs Tennessee, 2pm/3pm – ABC • >Saturday, May 30, Alabama vs Nebraska, 6pm/7pm – ESPNHOW TO WATCH… ALLEGEDLYESPN and Streaming: Kevin Brown play-by-play, Amanda Scarborough with color, and sideline reporting from Alyssa Lang.

WEATHERNo rain expected, partly cloudy, but it’s going to be pretty dang hot.

NEBRASKA (52-6 overall, 23-1 B1G) PREVIEWThe Cornhuskers are a red hot team right now and have been since late February. Four of their defeats came in the first eight games. In a San Antonio tournament, they split with Washington and Texas. In Clearwater, they topped LSU, UCF, and Texas Tech, but fell to Georgia and Tennessee. In yet another competitive tournament in Palm Springs, Nebraska won five games including wins over South Carolina and Texas A&M. The ‘Huskers also lost to Oklahoma State but would get revenge a few days later as they went on a 15 game run.

class="has-text-align-none">UNL ran roughshod over the Big Ten Conference dropping only a one-run game to the bombastic UCLA. Following the loss to the Bruins, the Cornhuskers reeled off 27 straight wins including the B1G Tournament Championship, a Regional over Grand Canyon, and a Super sweep over Oklahoma State.

class="has-text-align-none">On Thursday, Nebraska completed a walk-off win in 10 innings versus Arkansas in the opening round of the WCWS.

class="has-text-align-none">THROW THE BALL

class="has-text-align-none">If you follow softball, you know the name Jordy Frahm. She is merely a four-time NFCA First Team All-American. She started her career at Oklahoma and went 22-1 in both her freshman and sophomore years before heading to Lincoln. In 2024, Frahm suffered a season-ending injury in the opening game of the season after pitching only 2.1 innings and missed the entire season. She rebounded with a 26-8 record last spring and stands at 22-5 this season. Her CAREER earned run average is an insane 1.25. On Thursday against Arky, she pitched all 10 innings and threw a massive 133 pitches with 9 Ks in the 5-3 win.

class="has-text-align-none">Lefty freshman Alexis Jensen is the No. 2 pitcher. She is 25-2 with an 2.39 ERA.

class="has-text-align-none">TL/DR: With a day off to rest and recuperate, it would be shocking if the Player of the Year Frahm does not start and throw every inning of the game with Alabama.

class="has-text-align-none">HIT THE BALL

class="has-text-align-none">Did I mention the name Jordy Frahm? She can hit too. The Huskers leadoff hitter is hitting .411 with 59 runs scored, 19 homers, and 50 RBI. Fellow pitcher Alexis Jensen has been known to swing a bat as well (.319) at times.

class="has-text-align-none">Hannah Camenzind is swatting.383 with 8 HR 56 RBI. Ava Kuszak is hitting .309 with 52 RBI. She hit her 15th homer of the year in walk-off fashion against the Razorbacks on Thursday. Jesse Farrell (.308) has 17 round-trippers with 45 knocked in.

class="has-text-align-none">The Cornhuskers hit a fraction under seven runs per game.

class="has-text-align-none">TL/DR: They can hit, but like UCLA it was Big Ten competition.

class="has-text-align-none">CATCH THE BALL

class="has-text-align-none">UNL is a pretty good fielding team with a .976 success rate.

class="has-text-align-none">HELP ME, RHONDA

class="has-text-align-none">Rhonda Revelle has been in charge in Lincoln since 1993. She played for the Husker Du’s during Ronald Reagan’s first administration and diehard Nebraska. She has led the program to four WCWS but this is the first since 2013. It just goes to show what an infusion of cash can do for a program.

TEN CENT ANALYSISNebraska has been on a hot streak, no doubt. It is hard to complain about winning, but here again much like UCLA, the competition was not that tough in league play. Outside of winning two of three at home against the Bruins, the Cornhuskers Big Ten schedule consisted of vs. Michigan, at Michigan State, vs. Rutgers, at Wisconsin, at Minnesota, vs. Iowa, at Penn State. It’s not exactly Murderers’ Row. Not to discount the season they have had this spring, but they have not played an SEC schedule. Or ACC or Big 12 for that matter.

class="has-text-align-none">Who Patrick Murphy starts will be an interesting choice. Having a day off is advantageous for both teams. I would be surprised if Nebraska does not go back to Frahm.

class="has-text-align-none">If the Tide can carry over their momentum from their Game 1, they will be tough to beat.

#RollTide #Team30