Alabama’s baseball program is back on the national stage after a 27‑year absence from the College World Series, marking its sixth appearance in the tournament’s history. The Crimson Tide earned the No. 7 national seed and sit at No. 16 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, underscoring the team’s resurgence under head coach.
An SEC showdown looms
The Tide secured the spot by defeating St. John’s 7‑2 in the Tuscaloosa Super Regional. Left‑hander Zane Adams tossed 6 ⅓ innings of two‑run ball, striking out eight without a walk, while Matthew Heiberger closed the game with 2 ⅔ shutout innings. A weather delay pushed the final out past noon the following day, but the team rallied behind clutch hits from Jason Torres, who delivered the decisive blast, and supporting RBI singles from Peyton Steele, Brady Neal and Luke Vaughn.
Alabama will open its CWS campaign against Oklahoma in an all‑SEC matchup scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. CT at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. The game will be televised on ESPN and marks a reunion with a team the Tide beat two of three during a regular‑season series in Norman earlier this month. That series win, coupled with a 2023 sweep of Oklahoma at Sewell‑Thomas Stadium, adds a narrative of momentum heading into the national stage.
The eight‑team field also includes Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, Ole Miss, and Troy, but the SEC’s presence will be felt with five teams in the final eight. Alabama’s fourth‑place finish in the SEC standings contrasts with Oklahoma’s 11th‑place finish, setting up a compelling contrast of pedigree and surprise as the Crimson Tide look to add another chapter to their storied program.