Team 27 Dominates The Bulldogs in Game Two
The University of Alabama softball team is in Starkville, Mississippi, this weekend as they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Tide won the first game of the three-game series 4-3 and maintained its momentum into Saturday, beating the Bulldogs 6-0.
Starting at bat, the Alabama hitters wasted no time finding their pitches. Leading off, Ashley Prange got on base with a walk. Jenna Johnson, shortly after, was able to send Prange home on an infield single, starting the scoring for the Tide. Emma Broadfoot also brought in an RBI, sneaking a hit out to the right field, 2-0.
The game's true star was Alex Salter, who started on the mound for Team 27. Salter quickly set the game's tone as defensive, only allowing three hits on the day and, at one point, retiring ten straight batters. As the defense stood firm, the offense needed to find opportunities to score.
That opportunity came at the top of the fifth inning when Prange, again, started with a lead-off double. Following an Ally Shipman walk, Bailey Dowling would get a chance to bring in some runs. Dowling found her pitch with an RBI single, bringing another score for the Tide, 3-0. While runners were still in prime scoring positions, Johnson added one more run on a sac fly RBI, 4-0.
A Larissa Preuitt single and a pinch hitter Abby Duchscherer single gave Team 27 another opportunity at the top of the sixth. Preuitt scored from another sac fly, adding to the run total, 5-0.
Again, Preuitt showcased her diving ability this season as she made a miraculous diving catch to end the sixth inning. The game's last score came from a Johnson single and a Bulldog error, letting Kali Heivilin bring in the last run. Team 27 won the game 6-0.
The series' third game will be Sunday, April 16, at 1 pm CT. Tune into the SEC Network or 97.5 MeTV for your Alabama Softball Coverage.