Alabama turned a tense regional final into a 9-7 win over Oklahoma State in 11 innings on Sunday, May 31, and Brady Neal delivered the swing that sent the Crimson Tide on. Neal’s three-run home run in the 11th gave Alabama the margin it needed to clinch the regional and move on to the NCAA Tournament super regionals.

The result gave Alabama its first region championship under head coach Rob Vaughn and its first trip to the super regionals since 2023, a return that mattered because the Crimson Tide entered the tournament as the No. 7 overall seed and had to survive two elimination-style games just to reach the title game. Alabama beat Alabama State and USC Upstate before facing Oklahoma State for the regional crown.

This one did not come easily. Myles Upchurch held Alabama in position with six innings and nine strikeouts, and Hagan Banks finished the job in relief with six strikeouts over three innings, but the Tide still had to escape a dangerous ninth inning after the bases were loaded. Banks got out of that jam before the game stretched to extras, where Alabama led 9-6 in the 11th before Neal’s blast.

The scoring swung back and forth long before the final inning. Alabama trailed 4-3 before Jason Torres homered in the fifth to make it 5-3, then Oklahoma State answered with home runs from Brock Thompson and Kollin Ritchie to tie it 5-5. Alabama later tied the game again at 6-6 on a solo home run by a Tuscaloosa native, and Justin Lebron added two hits to help keep the offense alive.

Johnny Lemm also drove in runs with a two-run RBI single, and the final line left Alabama at 39-22 while Oklahoma State finished 40-19. The regional title is Vaughn’s first at Alabama, and the bigger payoff is immediate: the Crimson Tide are back in the super regionals, though their next opponent was not announced in the information available Sunday night.