Bama Hammer
Fansided

Alabama Softball Wins Two Over Jacksonville And Drake

By Chris Dodson

Jan 8, 2016; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide fans at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa for the arrival of coaches and players for the upcoming game against the Auburn Tigers in the CFP National Championship.. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2016; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide fans at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa for the arrival of coaches and players for the upcoming game against the Auburn Tigers in the CFP National Championship.. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Alabama Softball, after winning in extra innings on Tuesday over UAB, looked to continue their winning ways on Friday. They did so with two additional wins over Jacksonville and Drake.

Alabama softball, with the two wins, moved to 16-2 on the season. It seemed Alabama’s bats, mostly cold this season,  warmed up on a cold Friday night at Rhodes Stadium. The two games were the first two of a total of five Alabama will be playing in the Easton Crimson Classic.

Game 1 – Alabama vs. Jacksonville

One of the biggest criticisms of this Alabama Softball season has been the offense. The Crimson Tide’s offense has been enough to get base-runners. Too many base-runners have been left stranded from not enough consistent hitting to turn hits into runs. The criticisms got a little lighter Friday as Alabama beat Jacksonville 10-0 in five innings.

In the bottom of the first, it was the freshman Bailey Hemphill with a ground out RBI to make it 1-0. Hemphill is the surprise this season, leading her team in batting average. She finished 1 for 2 in the game. The second inning brought another score due to a throwing error to make it 2-0.

More from Bama Hammer

In the third inning, a sacrifice fly by Peyton Grantham sent Demi Turner home. Reagan Dykes brought another run in off a RBI single to make the score 4-0.

The score blew up in the fourth inning, Hemphill knocked a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to make 5-0 Alabama. That was followed by a three-run home run by Merris Schroder, her third of the year. Mari Cranek brought in two more runs, her first two RBI of the season, to add the ultimate insurance policy. Alabama won it 10-0 in five innings.

Alabama’s Alexis Osorio (8-1) pitched another masterful game. She finished the game with four of the five innings pitched and11 strikeouts. Madi Moore closed out the game. For Jacksonville, Alyssa Bilodeau (4-4) was handed the loss.

Game 2: Alabama vs. Drake

Alabama struck early again. After two walks and a double to load the bases, Drake’s Kailee Smith walked Marissa Runyon to make the score 1-0.

It was then time for defense in the second. Sydney Littlejohn (6-0) had pitched most of the season without a earned run. A sacrifice ground-out gave Drake their only run of the night. It was just Littlejohn’s second earned run of the season. Littlejohn pitched a shutout from there.

In the bottom of the second, Ellisa Brown reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, causing the score to go to 2-1. That was followed by a Demi Turner single to left to bring another run, making it 2-0 Bama.

In the fifth, after singling to make it 4-1, Dare was injured. The extent of the injury is unknown and she jogged a bit trying to shake it off before being pulled from the game.

Alabama did not stop. Cranek continued to add to her RBI’s with a single to bring in two more runs. The final was 6-1 Alabama.

For the Bulldogs, Kaylee Smith (4-4) was dealt the loss with the 6 innings pitched and five earned runs.

Next: Alabama Crimson Tide Adapted Athletics Breaking New Ground

The Crimson Tide have Stanford and Drake in the Easton Crimson Classic on Saturday. The first pitch is at 1:30 PM. Games will be on the SEC Network Plus on WatchESPN.

Home/Alabama Crimson Tide News