Jocelyn Briski put on a masterclass performance for Alabama softball in its 7-0 shutout opener vs. LSU Friday, May 22. Better yet, she did it while being sick.
No. 1 overall seed Alabama (53-7) is hosting No. 16 seed LSU (40-18) in the NCAA Tuscaloosa Super Regional, with the winner of the series advancing to the Women’s College World Series.
Besides a leadoff double from LSU’s Jalia Lassiter to start the game, the Crimson Tide played a perfect game. Alabama retired 21-straight batters, 11 of those being strikeouts courtesy of Briski.
Paul Briski, Jocelyn’s father, told The Tuscaloosa News that the performance came while battling a heavy upper-respiratory infection.
It’s nothing new for the junior pitcher, who has been battling ups and downs from injury throughout the season. Paul has seen his daughter’s determination from the circle, fueled by a Crimson Tide squad playing its best softball at the best time.
“She just feels so confident this year,” Paul told The Tuscaloosa News. “The way their pitching spans between her, Kaitlyn (Pallozzi), Vic (Moten), Alea (Johnson) last weekend and our offense, she just feels total confidence. All week, every time I talk to her, she just said, ‘I feel good.'”
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at [email protected].
