Briski Bounces Back Big in Gutsy Win Over Virginia Tech
Things didn’t look great for Alabama softball early on Saturday. Virginia Tech’s slugger Cori McMillan crossed home after a bases-loaded single in the first inning, and Bama starter Jocelyn Briski looked shaky from the jump. She walked the first two batters and had already been roughed up in recent games. It felt like it might be a long day.
But Briski shook it off and flipped the script.
After giving up two early runs, the sophomore pitcher settled in and turned in a gritty complete-game performance, giving up just one more run the rest of the way as Alabama edged out a 4-3 win.
Her coach, Patrick Murphy, kept the message simple after that rocky first: “They won the first inning. So what? It’s 2-0, we have six more.” That calm paid off.
Briski’s defense nearly let her down in the second, with an error and another walk setting up a tense situation. But she got out of it with a pop-out and a heads-up play at third to end the threat. That was the turning point.
In the bottom of the second, Alabama’s bats got to work. Brooke Ellestad scored on a wild pitch, and then in the third, Kali Heivilin smacked a two-run homer to give the Tide a 3-2 lead.
Briski had to keep grinding, especially with McMillan lurking in the lineup. After being walked twice early, McMillan finally got a hit in the fourth—but Briski shut the door right after, striking out Lynch to end another threat.
She gave up a solo homer in the fifth, but that was the last of the damage. Briski then retired five straight batters and cruised through the sixth inning.
With a slim 4-3 lead in the seventh, Briski came out to finish the job. She gave up a leadoff single, but Alabama’s defense locked in, and the game ended on a flyout with the tying run stranded.
Briski’s performance was clutch, keeping the Hokies’ biggest bat quiet and showing real composure under pressure. With the win, Alabama moves just one game away from the Super Regional. If they drop Sunday’s first matchup, expect Briski to be back in the circle ready to go
