Alabama Softball Drops Two Games in Weekend Finale - University of Alabama Athletics
Alabama softball fell in its final two games at the season-opening JoAnne Graf Classic on Saturday, taking an 8-0 loss to tournament host Florida State before losing
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Alabama softball fell in its final two games at the season-opening JoAnne Graf Classic on Saturday, taking an 8-0 loss to tournament host Florida State before losing in walk-off fashion to UNC, 9-8.
In the opening game of the day, Alabama (1-3) fell behind to Florida State (4-0) after a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. The Seminoles broke out with six runs in the third inning to take an 8-0 lead, which ultimately proved final in the five-inning victory for the home team.
Looking to bounce back in game two against the North Carolina (2-2), an error on an infield single by sophomore Skylar Wallace allowed a pair of runs to come home for the Crimson Tide in the third inning. UNC took the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a three-run home run but Alabama rallied to retake the lead in the top of the fifth on RBIs from Wallace and senior Taylor Clark. A wild pitch and errant throw in the bottom of the fifth tied the game back up on the unearned run.
Still tied 4-4 in the top of the seventh, seniors Elissa Brown and Alexis Mack started the inning with singles and then each stole to move into scoring position. The pair came home on back-to-back ground balls, avoiding the tag attempt each time to put Alabama ahead 6-4. A two-run double from junior Kaylee Tow added some insurance to make it 8-4 heading to the bottom of the seventh. With its back against the wall, UNC began to rally with two on base and two out. An RBI single and a two-run double made it a one-run game before UNC pinch-hitter Zoe Goodman came through with a walk-off double, driving in two to give the Tar Heels the 9-8 win.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Brown was 3-for-4 on the day batting ninth, scoring three runs in the game vs. UNC
- Freshman Savannah Woodard had a two-hit performance against UNC, giving her at least one hit in three of the weekend's four games
- vs. Florida State
- B1st | With a runner on first and two out, Cassidy Davis hit a two-run home run to left field to give FSU the first lead of the game (Alabama 0, Florida State 2)
- B3rd | Josie Muffley led off the inning with a solo home run (Alabama 0, Florida State 3)
- B3rd | Davis dropped an RBI single into center field, advancing to second on the throw (Alabama 0, Florida State 4)
- B3rd | Dani Morgan followed Davis' RBI single with a bunt single that drove the runner in from third (Alabama 0, Florida State 5)
- B3rd | Anna Shelnutt knocked a three-run home run to right center (Alabama 0, Florida State 8)
- vs. UNC
- T3rd | Wallace hustled to beat out an infield single to load the bases with one out but a rushed throw attempt to first sailed wide, allowing two runs to score on the error (Alabama 2, UNC 0)
- B4th | Pitcher Brittany Pickett helped her own cause with a three-run home run to give the Tar Heels the lead (Alabama 2, UNC 3)
- T5th | With two in scoring position and one out, an RBI groundout from Wallace tied the game (Alabama 3, UNC 3)
- T5th | After a wild pitch moved two runners into scoring position, Clark laced a single into center field to drive in the go-ahead run (Alabama 4, UNC 3)
- B5th | With a runner at second and two out, a wild pitch on ball four moved the baserunner up to third and an errant throw sent her home to tie the game (Alabama 4, UNC 4)
- T7th | Brown broke for home from third on a groundout to the shortstop, sliding under the tag attempt at home to put the Tide in front (Alabama 5, UNC 4)
- T7th | Mack followed Brown's run with another sliding play at the plate on a groundout, avoiding the tag to increase the lead to two (Alabama 6, UNC 4)
- T7th | With two on base, Tow added some key insurance runs with a two-run double deep in the right field gap in right (Alabama 8, UNC 4)
- B7th | A two-out RBI single kept the inning alive for UNC (Alabama 8, UNC 5)
- B7th | A two-run double brought the Tar Heels within one (Alabama 8, UNC 7)
- B7th | Pinch-hitter Zoe Goodman hit a walk-off two-run double (Alabama 8, UNC 9)
Alabama returns to the Sunshine State for the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational on Feb. 13-15. There, the Tide will play five games against Liberty, Washington, USF, UCLA and Oklahoma State.
