THE CALL: A look at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional

Hitting

Probably no team in the country can match up offensively with the Alabama Crimson Tide on its best day. UA leads the nation in runs, averaging more than seven per game, and slugging percentage, pounding out more bases per at-bat than any other team. Brittany Rogers hits for average and Charlotte Morgan is among the nation’s leaders in home runs and RBIs. Jacksonville State is nearly as explosive as Alabama, led by power hitter Nikki Prier. Florida State and Tennessee-Chattanooga rely on pitching and defense.

Advantage: Alabama

Pitching

Truth be told, no team here has the kind of shut-down ace pitcher who can dominate a regional all by herself. Alabama, however, has a solid staff. Kelsi Dunne is a rookie phenom and Charlotte Morgan is a crafty lefty. Senior Chrissy Owens brings the speed and is most comfortable coming out of the bullpen as a closer. FSU’s Tiffany McDonald can duel with the best when she’s got her best stuff and Jax State rookie Ashley Eliasson is good, but UTC’s Brooke Loudermilk is a strikeout queen worth watching.

Advantage: Alabama

Fielding

You don’t make it to May Madness without being pretty solid on defense, but two teams here stand out above the others. Alabama is ranked ninth nationally in fielding percentage with a .975 errorless rate. The UTC Lady Mocs are 10th in the country, just a fraction of a percentage point behind the Crimson Tide. Alabama gets the nod because third baseman Kelley Montalvo is arguably the best hot-corner defender in the nation with her Ms. Pac-Man imitation. Catcher Ashley Holcombe is an overlooked defensive weapon for UA.

Advantage: Alabama

Coaching

No coach in the history of college softball has won more games than Florida State’s JoAnne Graf. With more than 1,400 victories, she’s probably forgotten more about softball than most coaches will ever learn. Jana McGinnis at Jax State and Frank Reed at UTC have built programs that win on a year-in, year-out basis, so there’s no one-hit wonder in this regional. The nod, however, has to go to Patrick Murphy and his assistants, Vann Stuedeman and Alyson Habetz, who have built the Tide into a juggernaut.

Advantage: Alabama

Intangibles

There’s on X-factor in this regional, and her name is Lauren Parker. Alabama’s All-American second baseman has missed much of the year with injuries and has only recently rejoined the batting order. With Parker healthy, Alabama is an undisputed top contender to win a national championship. Alabama is very good without her at full strength, but plays at a different level when she’s 100 percent. FSU has struggled late in the season, while UTC and Jax State have surged. It’s the Gamecocks who look primed to do some damage.

Advantage: Jacksonville State