⚾ 🥎 Monday Night Softball: Alabama Softball Drops Series Finale to Florida in 3-2 Pitcher’s Duel

[UA Press Release]

Alabama Softball Falls in Series Opener to Florida, 6-1

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball fell in its series opener to Florida, 6-1, Saturday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium.

Alabama (24-10, 5-5 SEC) fell behind in the first inning after Florida (33-5, 8-2 SEC) scored a pair of runs. The Crimson Tide cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second after a fielding error allowed an unearned run to cross the plate. The Gators would go on to score four more runs down the stretch to bring the score to its final mark of 6-1. Making her return following a two-week absence with a foot injury, senior Peyton Grantham went 2-for-3 batting sixth. Senior Alexis Osorio (8-4) took the loss in the circle while Kelly Barnhill (16-1) threw the complete-game victory for Florida.

Florida threatened immediately in the top of the first, loading the bases on a hit and two walks to lead off the game. The next batter went down swinging before Hannah Adams dropped a one-out single into right field, scoring one run as everyone moved station-to-station. On a soft grounder in the next at-bat, the runner was caught between first and second for out number two but the Tide could not complete the double play as a run came home on the fielder's choice RBI to make it 2-0. A popup ended the half-inning with the Gators leading by two.

With two on and one out in the bottom of the second for Alabama, Barnhill fielded a grounder but overthrew first base, allowing junior Reagan Dykes to score from second and cut the deficit in half at 2-1. With the score the same in the top of the fifth, Florida loaded the bases with a hit and two walks and nobody out and Jordan Matthews tacked on a run with an RBI single to make it 3-1. A fly ball to right field allowed the runner at third to tag up on a sacrifice fly and make it 4-1 with two out before a strikeout ended the inning.

With two out in the bottom of the fifth, back-to-back walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases but an inning-ending fly out kept it a three-run lead for the Gators. With two on and one out in the top of the sixth, a hard throw from Dykes behind the plate to Grantham covering third caught the runner stealing and a groundout to Osorio in the circle capped the inning.

With the score the same in the top of the seventh, Florida loaded the bases with two hits and a walk and Aleshia Ocasio pulled a ball to right field for a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-1. After another fly ball went for out number two, Sophia Reynoso ripped a single to left to score the runner from second and make it 6-1. Alabama looked to get something going in the bottom of the seventh, as freshman Kaylee Tow drew a one-out walk and sophomore Bailey Hemphill followed with a hard-hit double to center field to put two in scoring position. A strikeout and fly ball would end the rally however as Florida held on to win, 6-1.

The three-game series continues Sunday, April 8 with a 2 p.m. CT first pitch on ESPN2.

For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on Twitter, BamaSB on Instagram and Alabama Softball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook

Alabama Softball Falls in Series Opener to Florida, 6-1 - Alabama Athletics

 

[UA Press Release]

Alabama Softball Evens Weekend Series with 3-2 Win Over Florida Sunday

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball evened its weekend series against Florida with a 3-2 win Sunday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium.

Alabama (25-10, 6-5 SEC) scored the first run of the game on an RBI single from freshman Kaylee Tow but Florida (33-6, 8-3 SEC) evened it up in the top of the fourth with a solo home run. The Crimson Tide answered right back in the bottom half with a solo home run from sophomore Bailey Hemphill to retake the lead. An RBI double in the top of the fifth tied it up at 2-2 but a second long ball courtesy of senior Sydney Booker made it a 3-2 game, which ultimately proved final.

"It was great to see us respond immediately each time Florida scored a run," UA head coach Patrick Murphy said. "We started off with Elissa [Brown] getting on base and scoring in the first. Bailey [Hemphill] came back with a bomb and [Sydney] Booker's won it. The bounce-back was huge today."

Sophomore Elissa Brown set the tone at the top of the order, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a pair of stolen bases. Junior Courtney Gettins threw 4.2 innings in the start with senior Alexis Osorio (9-4) earning the win in relief, allowing just two hits over 2.1 innings pitched with four strikeouts.

"The defense really came through," Murphy said. "I thought Courtney [Gettins] made good pitches and gave us a chance to win. She walked a few but made better pitches after the mistakes and got out of trouble. Alexis [Osorio] did a great job behind her to shut the door."

For the second-straight game, Florida loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first inning. Hemphill fielded a hard grounder in the next at-bat, setting up for a 3-2-4 double play to keep a run off the board and tally two quick outs. A walk would load the bases yet again but a swinging strikeout would get the Tide out of the jam and keep it scoreless. In the bottom half of the inning, Brown poked a leadoff single through the left side, stole second and then came home on an RBI single up the middle from Tow to give Alabama the 1-0 lead.

The Gators loaded the bases again in the top of the third with nobody out. Junior Merris Schroder then fielded a fly ball in shallow left, firing home to junior Reagan Dykes in time to catch the runner trying to tag up and score from third to make it a double play while the other runners moved to second and third. A strikeout looking would end the inning as Florida could not break into the run column.

In the top of the fourth, Sophia Reynoso hit a one-out solo home run to tie the game at 1-1. Hemphill answered right back in the bottom half of the inning with a towering solo shot to give Alabama back the lead, 2-1. With two out in the top of the fifth, a fly ball was lost in the sun, allowing Aleshia Ocasio to reach with a tough-luck triple. Janell Wheaton drove her in with an RBI double down the left-field line to tie it back up at 2-2. That ended Gettins' outing as Osorio entered in relief with two out and a runner at second base, inducing a popup to get out of the frame with the score tied at 2-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, Booker took the count full to lead off the inning and sent the 3-2 pitch over the fence in left-center to make it a 3-2 game. The Tide could not add to its lead in the sixth, taking a one-run advantage to the top of the seventh. A groundout and two strikeouts retired Florida in order as Osorio shut the door to secure the 3-2 win for Alabama.

The series rubber game is set for a 6 p.m. CT start on Monday, April 9 live on the SEC Network.

For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on Twitter, BamaSB on Instagram and Alabama Softball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook

Alabama Softball Evens Weekend Series with 3-2 Win Over Florida Sunday - Alabama Athletics

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[PhillyGirl]

Yesssss, happy to be able to actually catch a game!

 

[252BAMA]

Plate umpire gave them the game in the 4th. Was terrible the entire game. O had at least 40 pitches on the outside edge of the plate he called balls. She usually gets all of them called strikes. He gave her none. She threw 46 pitches in the 4th. Unbelievable!

 

[UA Press Release]

Alabama Softball Drops Series Finale to Florida in 3-2 Pitcher’s Duel

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball took the lead first in Sunday's series rubber game against Florida, but the Gators responded with three unanswered runs to claim a 3-2 victory in the low-scoring pitcher's duel.

Alabama (25-11, 6-6 SEC) pulled ahead in the bottom of the third on a two-run home run from freshman Kaylee Tow, but Florida (34-6, 9-3 SEC) answered right back in the next half-inning tying it with a two-run double. The score remained the same until the Gators pulled ahead 3-2 on a solo home run in the top of the sixth, which proved final. The Tide out-hit the Gators, 4-2, while sophomore Bailey Hemphill drew a pair of walks to extend her reached-base streak to 18 games. Alexis Osorio (9-5) battled in the complete-game effort, throwing a season-high 179 pitches holding Florida to three runs on two hits with nine strikeouts.

Both teams were hitless until the bottom of the third, when sophomore Elissa Brown knocked a two-out chopper up the middle. Tow made the second hit of the day a big one, blasting a no-doubt home run into right field to put Alabama ahead 2-0. In the top of the fourth inning, a trio of walks loaded the bases for Florida with two out and pinch-hitter Danielle Romanello pulled a double to the right-field corner, scoring a pair to tie it at 2-2. An intentional walk to Amanda Lorenz loaded the bases again for the Gators before a 4-3 groundout ended the half-inning with the score knotted up.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Brown reached on a fielding error and Tow followed that with a walk to put two on base but a grounder to third started a 5-3 double play to end the inning. With two out in the top of the sixth, Romanello added her third RBI of the day with a solo home run to put Florida ahead 3-2. A pair of walks and fielding error kept the inning going with two out but a popup got the Tide out of the bases-loaded jam, now trailing 3-2.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, junior Caroline Hardy battled through an eight-pitch at-bat before poking a single through the right side, representing the potential tying run. With freshman KB Sides pinch-running at first, junior Merris Schroder followed that with a nine-pitch at-bat, ending in a single through the left side to put two on with one out. A pair of fly outs ended the inning as Florida was able to take a one-run lead to the seventh.

The Gators stranded two on base in the top of the seventh, unable to add to its 3-2 lead. With two out in the bottom of the seventh, Tow was hit by a pitch to bring the potential game-winning run to the plate but a hard-hit line drive to third ended it as Florida held on to win, 3-2.

Alabama begins the second half of its SEC schedule with a road series at Arkansas (29-8, 6-6 SEC), beginning Friday, April 13 at 6 p.m. CT. The Tide and Razorbacks have a quick turnaround, playing game two at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, April 14 live on ESPNU before closing the weekend on Sunday, April 15 at 1 p.m. CT.

For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on Twitter, BamaSB on Instagram and Alabama Softball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.

Alabama Softball Drops Series Finale to Florida in 3-2 Pitcher’s Duel - Alabama Athletics

 

[TerryP]

Plate umpire gave them the game in the 4th. Was terrible the entire game. O had at least 40 pitches on the outside edge of the plate he called balls. She usually gets all of them called strikes. He gave her none. She threw 46 pitches in the 4th. Unbelievable!

11 walks. That leaves me shaking my head. She had seven against UK a few weeks ago: at Kentucky.

I don't recall her having that many walks in her career at Bama.

 

[TerryP]

TFW you wished you had been there.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Very frustrating to watch....walk after walk ...getting behind hitters......
Bama leaving runners in scoring position with hard hits but right at a fielder..
......very inconsistent umpiring....both sides....wouldn’t give Bama pitcher the corners...where she pitches....and gave the fla pitcher those corners...
Tv showing idiot fans....over n over.... big crowd for cold Monday night....