Alabama Softball Hitting Woes Strike In Austin

Team 27 struggled at the plate in the first game of its doubleheader in Austin, Texas against the Texas State Bobcats.

Senior Lauren Esman started on the mound for the Tide and was able to quickly move to the bottom of the first allowing only one hit that left a runner stranded on base. Alabama's batters started off slow as the bobcats found three consecutive outs at the top of the lineup.

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Starting the second inning, Texas State infielder Sara Vanderford was able to find her pitch on a homerun single off the wall. This is Esman's first allowed homerun single putting the Bobcats up 1-0. Larissa Preuitt secured the Tide's third out on an incredible diving catch bringing the Alabama batters back to bat. The Tide still struggled in the box as all three hitters were struck out moving to the 3rd inning.

Alabama found a quick first out of the inning after a flyout from Bobcat Ciara Trahan. Hannah Earles made it to first with a single, eventually making her way to second on a ground out. With Earles on second Kenleigh Cahalan created an opportunity for the Bobcats to score with an error on a fly ball. Earles then ran it in putting Texas State up 2-0. Esman proceeded to walk the next batter calling for head coach Patrick Murphy to make a switch at the mound.

Jaala Torrence moved in to pitch and was able to get the Tide defense off the field with a line out to the left field. Kristen White was able to find the Tide's first hit of the game on a bunt single at the bottom of the third and shortly after was able to steal second base. After Cahalan is walked to first, Ashley Prange was unable to bring in the runners as the game moved to the fourth inning with two runners stranded.

The fourth inning saw neither team finding any momentum. Alabama's hitting woes seemed to continue as Bobcat pitcher Jessica Mullins struck out all three of its hitters to end the inning. Starting the fifth the Tide again made a switch on the mound bringing in redshirt sophomore Alex Salter for Torrence. Another error and a walk saw Texas State load the bases against the Tide. Salter and Prange were able to keep the runner on third preventing any additional runs.

At the bottom of the fifth, Team 27 still struggled to find any momentum at bat. This carried on throughout the sixth inning as the defense was able to hold off the Bobcats from increasing their lead, but when returning to plate, it still could find no hits.

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With a final chance to come back in the seventh inning, the Tide failed to hold off Texas State as it added more runs to its lead. A single and a walk set up the freshman catcher Karmyn Bass to hit a double off of Salter adding to the Bobcat lead making it 3-0. Coach Murphy again made a change at pitcher as he retired Salter and brought back in the day's starter Lauren Esman.

A flyout brought the Alabama batters back to the plate in their last attempt to score runs. To start the bottom of the inning Ally Shipman makes the best hit of the game for the Tide with a double down the left field line. Shipman eventually made her way around the bases to score Alabama's first points of the game making it 3-1. All for naught, Texas State was able to close out the Tide with two flyouts and a strikeout to end the game.