Alabama Softball First Fall Game Recap
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- Alabama softball faced Itawamba Community College in a doubleheader on Sunday at Rhoads Stadium; securing victories of 9-0 in the first game and 15-0 in the second.
The Tide delivered an impressive performance, showcasing the strength of Team 29. This season, Alabama features five pitchers, all of whom contributed to a combined total of 14.0 shutout innings.
Highlights:
Returners
Jocelyn Briski allowed just one hit over 3.0 innings, striking out six batters
Alea Johnson recorded eight strikeouts in her 3.0 innings of work
Kristen White went 4-for-5, driving in four runs and scoring three times
Larissa Preuitt led the team with four runs scored, finishing 3-for-4, including a triple
New Comers
Salen Hawkins topped the team with five RBIs, batting 3-for-5 on the day
Catelyn Riley contributed with a 2-for-3 performance, including a two-run homer, along with 4.0 shutout innings pitched.
Game One Recap
In the second inning, Preuitt ignited the Tide with an RBI single, putting the Tide ahead 1-0. Lauren Johnson followed with a two-run single, bringing Preuitt and Brooke Ellested home to extend the lead to 3-0. Hawkins then tagged up and scored on an Audrey Vandagriff sac fly with the score now at 4-0. In the fourth inning, Hawkins continued to advance the score after driving herself home off of her own sac fly (5-0). White further increased the lead in the sixth inning with a single that scored Preuitt and Kinley Pate (7-0) and Riley capped off the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth, finalizing the score 9-0.
Game Two Recap
Riley set the tone early with an RBI double giving the team a 1-0 advantage. Mari Hubbard followed suit with an RBI single, extending the lead 2-0. Kennedy Marceaux then brought in Riley Valentine with another RBI single, making it 3-0. A fielding error allowed Hubbard to score, pushing the lead to 4-0. Ellestad contributed with a double that added two more runs (6-0), and White followed with a two-run single (8-0). Hawkins then drove in both White and Alexis Pupillo with a single, bringing the score to 10-0. Riley capped off a dominant first inning with a sac fly RBI that allowed Pate to score, ending the first inning at 11-0. The team was quiet in the second inning but bounced back in the third when Hawkins delivered a two-run single, increasing the score to13-0. In the fifth, after a leadoff triple, Preuitt scored on a sac fly from Marlie Giles (14-0). The Tide sealed their victory in the sixth with a leadoff solo home run from Valentine, finalizing the score at 15-0.
The veterans and newcomers showed great chemistry in their first game together during the fall season. If you missed this one, the second fall game is scheduled for Oct.18 at Rhoads Stadium, featuring a doubleheader against West Alabama at 5 p.m. CT.