Briski Shakes Off Rough Start, Slams the Door on Hokies in Gritty Win
Things weren’t looking great early for Alabama. Virginia Tech’s red-hot offense loaded the bases in the first inning, and when Bre Peck punched a single to right, the Hokies were already on the board. With only one out and the nation’s home run leader, Cori McMillan, having already crossed the plate, it seemed like Alabama was in for a long afternoon.
Sophomore pitcher Jocelyn Briski wasn’t exactly off to a hot start. She opened the game by walking two straight batters and had given up nine earned runs over her last three appearances. But after a quick visit from her catcher, Briski started to settle down—though not before Virginia Tech snuck in another run to go up 2-0.
From there, Briski flipped the switch.
She allowed just one more run the rest of the game and locked in for a complete game 4-3 win. Alabama coach Patrick Murphy wasn’t rattled after the rocky first inning. His message? “They won the first inning. So what? It’s 2-0, we have six more.”
And he was right. The Crimson Tide defense made things interesting again in the second, with a fielding error and an intentional walk to McMillan putting pressure on Briski once more. But she got the pop-up and grounder she needed to get out of the jam.
By the third inning, Briski had found her groove—and her teammates gave her some help. A wild pitch brought Brooke Ellestad home in the second, and a two-run bomb by Kali Heivilin in the third gave Bama the lead for good.
Briski had to deal with McMillan again in the fourth, who finally got a single after two walks, but once again, Briski shut the door before any damage was done. McMillan, who came into the game with 63 RBIs on the season, didn’t add to that number—mission accomplished.
Virginia Tech made it 4-3 with a solo homer from Kylie Aldridge in the fifth, but Briski kept her cool and retired five straight to carry the game into the seventh.
With the game on the line, Murphy sent Briski back out to finish what she started. Virginia Tech got a base runner, but couldn’t cash in. Briski got the final out on the first pitch to end the game—and maybe silence a few doubters in the process.
Now, Alabama is one win away from the Super Regional, thanks largely to lights-out pitching from Emily Winstead and Briski. If a decisive Game 2 happens Sunday, expect Briski to be ready to go all-in once again.
