Stanford, Calif. - No. 2 seed Alabama (46-17) defeated No. 5 seed North Carolina State (41-22), 9-2, Saturday night at the NCAA West Regional at Stanford. The win by the Crimson Tide puts Alabama in the regional championship game as they will play the winner of the Long Beach State-North Carolina State match-up (played at 1:00 p.m. Sunday) at 5:00 p.m. Sunday.

Alabama broke a 1-1 tie after two innings by scoring eight unanswered runs on the way to a 9-2 win. Paul Phillips, G.W. Keller, Jayson Cox and Drew Bounds were big hitters for the Crimson Tide. Phillips was 3-for-5 with a double; Keller was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI; Cox was 2-for-4 and had a lead-off homer in the fifth inning; and Bounds was 1-for-3 with four RBI, including a two-run homer in the fourth.

The winning pitcher for Alabama was starter Pete Fisher (7-8), who threw a complete game with eight hits, two runs, three walks and five strikeouts. The losing pitcher for North Carolina State was starter Dustin Baker (7-6, 8.0 innings, 13 hits, six earned runs, four walks, five strikeouts). Jake Weber paced the Wolfpack, going 3-for-4 with an RBI.

"We continue to swing the bat well," said Alabama head coach Jim Wells. "Cox and Bounds are really hot. But, the real story is Pete Fisher. He pitched well and did what he needed to do, getting us a complete game."

Alabama                103   410   000   9   13   0
North Carolina State   100   000   010   2    8   1

WP: Fisher (7-8)
LP: Baker (7-6)
2B: P. Phillips (13), Wood (6), Ward (30)
3B: Keller (5)
HR: Bounds (13), Cox (15)
Battery: Fisher and Frick (UA).  Baker, Carter and Piercey (NCS).