Alabama softball will have a shot at revenge on Friday night. Playing in the loser’s bracket of the Women’s College World Series, it’ll play the team that eliminated it a year ago: Stanford.

The Cardinals took two of three from the Tide last year in Tuscaloosa and prevented Alabama from reaching a 17th-straight NCAA super regional. Stanford pitcher Alana Vawter threw two shutouts. Now a senior, she pitched a scoreless sixth inning as the Cardinals lost to one-seed Oklahoma, 2-0, at USA Hall of Fame Stadium.

“I think from a scouting perspective, we’ve faced the hitters before. We kind of can — some of us, not (NiJaree Canady), but most of us can remember each batter there,” Vawter said. “Just trying to go out there and give them our best game.”

Alabama referred to last year’s shock upset as a “wake-up call.” The pain of that defeat partially charged the Crimson Tide to a 45-21 record and the five-seed in this year’s tournament. Stanford, meanwhile, went 45-14 as a nine-seed in the sixth year under head coach Jessica Allister.

“We’ll go back to the hotel and start working on it. That was far from anything we have really started preparing for yet. Obviously once you get to this level, every time you play is going to be a great team,” Allister said. “…We’ll get back to the hotel, get a little bit of food, and then get to work getting ready for Alabama.

“I was impressed with the performance that (Fouts) put on at our regional in Tuscaloosa last year. The amount of pitches she threw in a short amount of time and the grittiness with which she did it was impressive.”

Stanford ranked 99th in scoring (4.60 runs per game) heading into Oklahoma City and fourth in ERA (1.55). It’s had three pitchers make at least 20 appearances this season, led by Canady, a freshman.

Canady threw 99 pitches across five innings against the Sooners, potentially leaving Vawter and junior Regan Krause as starting options tomorrow night.

“This team has grit. I believe in every one of my teammates, and I know that tomorrow we’re going to come back fighting and getting ready for tomorrow’s game,” UA shortstop Kenleigh Cahalan said earlier Thursday after the Tide lost to Tennessee, 10-5.

First pitch will be at 6 p.m. CST on ESPN.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].