Alabama is taking batting practice right now at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

The ground in front of home plate seems a little harder than I remember it. Brittany Rogers' slaps are bouncing extremely high in the air, far enough that she's on first by the time they would come down to glove level. That could be an interesting point to watch.

Charlotte Morgan is going with pitches to hit moon-shot home runs to right field, crushing liners up the middle and pulling shots over the porch in left field. She hit one to straightaway center that ended up midway in the stands, probably close to 275 feet.

Rogers took a few cuts from her right-handed stance and looked good.

Eubanks is showing a good bit of pop, a lot of fly balls and a few home runs.

(Keep in mind this is batting practice, not live pitching)

Lauren Parker is also driving the ball well to all fields.

I've got to get back to writing. I'll update again later today or tonight and keep you up to date as the tournament progresses.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Chris_Rattey,

Great stuff T.D.

75 days to go!

Roll Tide!

Watching Michigan do its on-field batting practice session now.

Less power displayed than Alabama, but a lot of line-drive gappers.

Jen Brundage, former USA team player is throwing batting practice.

Can't tell too much in this kind of situation, but Michigan's team speed doesn't seem to match Alabama's.

Just posted on the front page that Kesli Dunne and Charlotte Morgan got first-team NFCA All-America, with Brittany Rogers getting third-team honors.

Michigan's lefty ace, Nikki Nemitz, was also a first-team pitcher -- at-large selection, which means she was fourth or fifth among pitchers.

thanks TD for the updates......

OK, I just saw Florida take batting practice.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

The Gators knocked balls out of the park all over the place -- left, center and right. One player cleared the bleachers in right field, which has to put the distance somewhere north of 300 feet.

To dead center, several were banging shots off the aluminum seats more than halfway up.

Nobody here hits like that team. Not even close.

(I may amend that statement after I see Arizona, which leads the nation in home runs and is taking infield right now.)

Florida also has Stacey Nelson, who is no worse than the second-best pitcher in the country.

The Gators are the team here that actually scares the opposition. Other teams know that they stand a good chance of getting run-ruled if Florida is in the other dugout.

That being said, Alabama has an edge that no one else here has when it comes to the Gators. If Alabama and Florida both win in the first round, they'll play in the second round.

Alabama is not intimidated by Florida. Even though the Gators have won three out of four against the Tide Alabama has scored 13 of the 51 runs Florida has given up this season. Alabama has shown it can hit Nelson.

I think Florida blows right by Arizona in the first round. The Alabama-Florida winner will win the national championship, assuming the Tide gets past Michigan.

Arizona's big hitters apparently hit in the batting cage and did not take live BP.

The slappers did and they lay down bunts about as well as you will ever see, for what that's worth.

Arizona also committed errors all over the place. This is not a good fielding team. Even the male manager who spent some time at catcher fielding balls thrown in from the outfield let a few get by.

That's it from ASA Hall of Fame Stadium for the day. I'll update my blog tonight with first-game predictions.

The Women's College World Series is moving forward into the instant information age with the NCAA offering several Internet options.

The interactive bracket for the NCAA Tournament has made tracking games easier than ever. Go to Link for the national championshiop event's home page.

You can also find the WCWS on Facebook. The keyword is: NCAA Women's College World Series.

There's also an official Twitter from the NCAA on the softball championship: Link

Alabama coach Patrick Murphy is Twittering from the WCWS.

To follow, go to Link

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy Deas:
Alabama coach Patrick Murphy is Twittering from the WCWS.

To follow, go to Link

It looks like Cat Osterman is pulling for us.

quote:

Originally posted by The White Lobster:

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy Deas:
Alabama coach Patrick Murphy is Twittering from the WCWS.

To follow, go to Link

It looks like Cat Osterman is pulling for us.

Cat is a longtime friend of the Alabama program and has spent a lot of time in Tuscaloosa over the years.

The running joke during the NCAA Regional was whether Cat was rooting for Alabama or Texas, her alma mater. Some would speculate that she's closer to the UA program.

Georgia falls 3-1 to Washington in the WCWS opener.

Up next is Missouri vs. Arizona State, which many consider the wild-card game in this field. Mizzou knocked off "mighty" UCLA in its own house to get here and Arizona State is defending national champion -- but doesn't have last year's ace, Katie Burkhart, back (she graduated). Both will likely have a freshman in the circle.

Alabama vs. Michigan will air at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

And for the record, check my blog: I correctly predicted the Washington-Georgia score.

To see my other predictions for today's games, check out my blog on the front page.

Alabama seems to be getting a lot of love on ESPN and elsewhere. The Tide seems to be everyone's favorite dark horse to unseat either Florida or Washington for the title.

The game is underway!

3 up, 3 down for Mich-e-gan.

Nice job, Kelsi!

Lineups:

Michigan
lf Bree Evans
rf Angela Findlay
c Amanda Chidester
DP Roya St. Clair
3b Maggie Viefhaus
P Nikki Nemitz
1b Dorian Shaw
2b Kristin Larsen
ss Teddi Ewing
cf Molly Bausher

Alabama
cf Brittany Rogers
2b Lauren Parker
3b Kelley Montalvo
DP Charlotte Morgan
rf Cassie Reilly-Bocica
c Ashley Holcombe
1b Amanda Locke
ss Kellie Eubanks
lf Whitney Larsen
P Kelsi Dunne

Alabama is the home team and the No. 4 seed.

Michigan is the No. 5 seed.

Top of the first for Michigan:

Evans hit a soft liner to Dunne for out one.

Findlay grounded out to third.

Chichester strikes out looking.

Dunne is on.