Coach Patrick Murphy has set a high standard of excellence for the softball program at Alabama.

Reaching the Women’s College World Series isn’t good enough unless the Lady Tide bring a championship back to the Capstone in Tuscaloosa.

While Alabama (60-10) fell three games short of winning its second national crown in softball, the Lady Tide made a statement during its five-day stay in Oklahoma City. Top-ranked Oklahoma prevailed 7-3 in an elimination game on Sunday.

I thought that Alabama deserved a higher national seed than the No. 8 spot NCAA Selection committee awarded them. The Lady Tide had beaten three teams seeded higher than them: Florida, Minnesota and Arizona.

As I watched Alabama lose to Florida in the SEC Championship Game three weeks ago with my family, I told them the NCAA will give the Lady Tide the shaft.

I was right. Alabama swept Florida during the regular season in Gainesville, which isn’t an easy thing to do. The Lady Tide got their revenge in an elimination game on Saturday, spanking the Lady Gators into submission, winning 15-3.

Alabama showed Arizona the door around 12:45 a.m. Sunday morning with a 2-0 shutout victory.

Keeping it real, I didn’t expect Alabama to beat Oklahoma Sunday. The Lady Tide reached the WCWS semifinals, meaning they were one of the final four teams. Alabama should’ve received, at worst, a No. 5 national seed.

After winning 1-0 over the Lady Sooners Sunday afternoon, Alabama ran out of gas in the if-necessary game.  Oklahoma had too much firepower.

Caroline Hardy, whose game-winning RBI single forced a winner-take-all contest, said she enjoyed the historic run.

“I couldn’t think of a better way to go out than finishing with this group at the World Series,” Hardy said. “When Coach Aly [Habetz] hugged me at the end of the game, she said ‘you’re going to be a champion in life’. That’s what’s so important about Alabama softball. When I take off this jersey for the last time, I’m prepared for that.”

Murphy said the memories will last a long time. Alabama was picked eighth in the SEC preseason poll.

“This was one of the most fun teams and enjoyable years I’ve ever had,” Murphy said.

Next season will be a different story because of higher expectations. With the return of All-SEC freshman pitcher Montana Fouts, Alabama will be a leading contender in the national title race next year.