Pitching staff rolls, Crimson Tide sweep softball doubleheader  

Mathey Gibson, Staff Reporter

On Saturday, Alabama softball posted a pair of shutouts against Georgia Tech, stifling the Yellow Jackets 1-0 and 4-0 at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa. 

In the low-scoring game one, senior Ally Shipman’s first inning solo home run proved to be enough for the Crimson Tide offensively, as Michigan transfer Lauren Esman went the distance — allowing just two hits and striking out four en route to a complete-game shutout. 

In game two, it was Kali Heivilin that got things started for Alabama — drilling an RBI single off the right field wall that scored Ball State University transfer Faith Hensley in the second inning. Minutes later, highly touted freshman Kristen White delivered with an RBI groundout that scored 2022 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year Larissa Preuitt. 

In the bottom of the third inning, freshman Abby Duchscherer tacked on another run with an RBI triple down the left field line — driving home junior M’Kay Gidley before scoring the next at-bat on a sac fly from Shipman. 

The four runs were enough to back up yet another shutout behind the arms of junior Jaala Torrence and redshirt-sophomore Alex Salter — combining to allow just two hits and tallying six strikeouts. 

After an impressive start to the fall, the Crimson Tide will now turn their heads towards an Oct. 23 doubleheader with Copiah-Lincoln in Tuscaloosa. The game will not be televised. 

Questions or comments? Email Austin Hannon (Sports Editor) at [email protected]