Alabama Softball Recap: Alabama Takes Series over LSU
Facing a crucial home series, Patrick Murphy’s Alabama Crimson Tide defeated LSU 3-0 on Friday, lost 1-0 Saturday night but rebounded for 4-2 on Sunday to take the series.
Pitching Dominates
During the three-game series, both LSU and Alabama struggled to generate runs. The two teams combined to score 10 runs combined.
Alexis Osorio opened the weekend with a complete game shutout Friday night. Despite issuing six walks, the junior right hander stymied the Tigers offense with 11 strikeouts while allowing only two hits.
Sydney Littlejohn arguably pitched the best game of the weekend for the Crimson Tide Saturday night by tossing a complete game despite the loss. The senior right hander allowed one run on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Similarly, LSU’s pitching put them in a position to sneak out of Tuscaloosa with a series win. In Friday’s series opener, Allie Walljasper allowed three runs in the first inning but shutdown Alabama over her final five innings. In their only win Saturday night, Sydney Smith delivered a complete game shutout. Smith walked three batters but surrendered only three hits and fanned a pair of Crimson Tide batters.
Timely Hits Make the Difference
While runs were at a premium for both teams, Alabama cashed in at key moments on Friday and Sunday.
Senior Marisa Runyon and junior Peyton Grantham accounted for all of the runs in game one in their opening plate appearances. In the bottom of the first inning, Runyon drove in the first run of the series Friday night with an RBI-double to right field while Grantham doubled to right driving in two runs.
In Sunday’s rubber match, Sydney Booker tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-out run scoring single to left field while Marissa Runyon came through again an inning later with a two-run double.
Rematch with UAB
UAB makes the short trip from Birmingham looking to snap a four-game losing streak. The Blazers were swept at home by Louisiana Tech and carry a four-game losing streak into Tuesday night’s game.
Through 38 games, UAB is 11th in Conference USA with a .219 team batting average. Sophomore Analyse Petree leads the team with a .293 batting average.
From the circle, true freshman Claire Blount has a 6-9 record with a 3.00 ERA. Blount has fanned 96 batters but has also walked 80 batters.
In the first game between the two teams, Alabama outlasted UAB thanks to a Sydney Booker RBI walk in the top of the eighth inning.
The Crimson Tide has won all 20 meetings in the all-time series against the Blazers.
First pitch Tuesday from Rhoads Stadium is at 6 PM.
College Softball around Alabama
Auburn slipped past Ole Miss with 3-1 victories on Friday and Sunday to secure the weekend series. Kaylee Carlson contributed two complete game wins against the Rebels. Carlson recorded 13 strikeouts compared to no walks in her two starts. Auburn continues their home stand Wednesday evening against Georgia State.
Troy and South Alabama were swept in weekend conference series. Becca Hartley homered in their series opener at Louisiana-Lafayette. After the home run, the Ragin Cajuns outscored the Trojans 25-0 for the rest of the series. South Alabama failed to score a run in three games at home against Texas State. The Bobcats outscored the Jaguars 9-0 in three games this weekend.
Jacksonville State extended their winning streak to 11 games thanks to doubleheader sweeps at Belmont and Tennessee State. In their 8-0 win in game two against Tennessee State, JSU’s Taylor West struck out 12 batters in her five-inning no-hitter.
Samford moved into second place in the SoCon by winning two of three games against East Tennessee State. Grey Adams helped the cause thanks to her two-hit complete game shutout in game one of the series. Samford begins a five-game road trip at Lipscomb Tuesday at 5 PM.