Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy had a problem. After overnight storms hit Tuscaloosa, he spent Sunday morning helping out his neighbors, who had a tree fall on their chimney.

At 9:30 a.m. CT, he checked his watch, a 1 p.m. NCAA Tournament regional matchup with Virginia Tech looming at Rhoads Stadium. After that, a dose of bad news.

“Somebody said, ‘Well the road is closed, you’re either gonna have to get a helicopter or get on a boat,’” Murphy said after the game. “And then I started to panic a little.”

Everything worked out for Murphy. One of his neighbors got on the phone and found someone with a car who could get close enough.

Then, the coach went on a journey.

“I walked about, I don’t know, a fourth of a mile up the road,” Murphy said. “Went through a ditch. Up a hill. Past the tree. Then got on the other side of it, and the buddy was there to pick me up.”

Once Murphy got to the stadium, the weather-related inconveniences didn’t stop. Just before the first pitch, lightning struck nearby, triggering a delay that lasted more than three hours as a rainstorm hit.

Finally, at 4:30 p.m., the game began. That worked out too, as the Crimson Tide took down the Hokies 3-2, advancing to the Norman super regional.

The win made for a third consecutive year of Alabama winning its home regional. The Tide has now advanced to the super regional round 19 of its last 20 tries.

“It’s expected,” Murphy said. “They (the players) know it. We know it. But outside of the program, this is a very difficult thing to do. I think we’ve had four losses, at home since 2005 in regional play. Think about that. We’ve been at home every single one. 20 years, four losses at home. So it’s a credit to the fans, to our young ladies who defend the home turf. They play their best at home and it’s an unbelievable stat.”

Virginia Tech didn’t make it easy. Neither team scored until the third inning, when Alabama put three runs on the board.

Lauren Johnson led the way offensively for UA, going 2-for-4 from the plate with two RBI.

“That’s my motto, short and sweet,” Johnson said afterward. “I just want to get things done for our program and for our team, and just put the ball in play. And good things happen, as you saw today.”

Alabama still led 3-0 at the beginning of the third, with starting pitcher Catelyn Riley remaining in the circle. She took a line drive to the shin, and eventually gave up a two-run homer, before Jocelyn Briski entered and got the save.

Riley still got the win, sending NCAA home-run leader Cori McMillan back to the dugout hitless three times in the process.

“The goal is to get 21 outs as quick as possible,” Riley said. “And letting your defense work for you. Because everyone knows, I’m not the biggest strikeout pitcher in the world. I’m gonna let our defense work and trust them to get outs, and that is exactly what they did today.”

Alabama will head to Norman next weekend for the super regional, which will feature No. 2 Oklahoma playing at home. That’s a tall task, but Murphy said the Crimson Tide is packing enough to make the short drive to Oklahoma City without returning to Tuscaloosa before the Women’s College World Series.

But first, a more immediate challenge.

“Yeah, I don’t know how I’m getting home,” Murphy said. “Just thought of that. I don’t have a car.”