Alabama softball returned to the field in Tucson last weekend for the final two days of the Candrea Classic, winning two of its three games over the weekend.
The Crimson Tide played two games Saturday and one game Sunday: a rematch with the University of Washington, a date with the hosting Arizona Wildcats and a showdown against Western Michigan. After Alabama took down Washington and Michigan State on the first day, here how things went for the Crimson Tide the final two days:
Game 1: Alabama 7, Washington 3
Pitcher Catelyn Riley got the start in Saturday’s rematch after she helped Alabama take down Michigan State Friday afternoon.
Riley’s outing got off to a rough start. In the first inning, she gave up two hits, including a three-run home run to Washington infielder Alexis DeBoer, the daughter of Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer.
Despite the struggles to start, Riley found her groove the rest of the way. After the first inning, she allowed just two more hits and did not give up another run as she ended up pitching a complete 7-inning start and finished giving up just four hits and striking out three batters.
The Alabama offense came alive late in the game. Right fielder Larissa Preuitt put the Crimson Tide on the board with a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning to bring the deficit down to 2.
However, Alabama was just getting started on offense. Trailing 3-1 in the top of the sixth inning, infielder Mari Hubbard and left fielder Audrey Vandagriff drew walks that put two runners on base with two outs. Moments later, third baseman Brooke Ellestad delivered a three-run home run to right field that gave Alabama a 4-3 lead.
In the seventh inning, the Crimson Tide gave itself some breathing room with three more runs. Vandagriff drove in Preuitt at the start of the top half of the inning off a sacrifice flyout. Later in the inning, Alabama loaded the bases with two outs, and designated hitter Alexis Pupillo’s single up the middle brought home center fielder Kristen White and Ellestad.
Alabama finished the game with 11 hits as an offense. Ellestad, Pupillo and Preuitt all led the team with two hits apiece. While the Crimson Tide left 12 runners on base, the offense delivered when it mattered most late in the game.
Game 2: Arizona 9, Alabama 1 (F/5)
Pitcher Jocelyn Briski got the nod to start in the night cap as Alabama played Arizona. After she got a win in a complete game Friday, Saturday’s start did not go her way.
Briski got off to a strong start, blanking the Wildcats for the first two innings of the game. However, in the third inning Arizona catcher Sydney Stewart singled to right field and drove in infielder Regan Shockey and outfielder Dakota Kennedy for the first runs of the game.
Alabama’s offense showed some life in the top of the fifth as the Crimson Tide got two runners on base by way of singles from outfielder Lauren Johnson and infielder Kali Heivilin. Vandagriff put Alabama on the scoreboard with a fielder’s choice groundout that scored Heivilin.
In the bottom of the fifth, the wheels fell off for the Crimson Tide. Briski allowed a walk and a single before surrendering a two-RBI single to infielder Devyn Metz. Relief pitcher Alea Johnson came in for relief of Briski, who pitched four innings while giving four runs on six hits and four walks.
Johnson’s outing in relief did not go well either. Against the first three batters Johnson faced, she allowed three singles and one run and loaded the bases as Alabama fell into a 5-1 deficit.
But the rough appearance in relief did not end there. On the fourth batter Johnson faced, she threw a wild pitch that scored another run.
Arizona walked it off later in the fifth inning off an error from Preuitt that scored three more runs and gave Arizona a 9-1 lead. Due to the run rule in softball that states a game ends if a team is winning by eight or more runs in the fifth inning of a game or later, the game ended in five innings.
Game 3: Alabama 14, Western Michigan 5 (F/6)
On the final day of the Candrea Classic, Alabama’s offense owned the diamond, and the team bounced back from its loss.
The Crimson Tide bats wasted no time getting to work. In the top of the first inning, Vandagriff drew a walk to start the game and stole second base to get in scoring position. Three pitches later, Preuitt hit a single to center field and drove in Vandagriff. The next batter, Ellestad, got an infield single that scored Preuitt after a Western Michigan throwing error.
The Broncos did not go down quietly, however. Riley started Sunday, but it was not the start she hoped for. In the first inning, she surrendered three runs on three hits and gave Western Michigan a 3-2 lead after the first inning. She lasted just 0.1 innings and was replaced by relief pitcher Emily Winstead.
Offensively, the Crimson Tide started to separate itself from the Broncos with five runs in the top of the second inning. It all started with Vandagriff hitting a two-RBI single that brought in center fielder Kristen White and shortstop Salen Hawkins.
Alabama extended its lead after another RBI single from Preuitt and a RBI double from Pupillo. Pupillo capitalized off a Broncos fielding error by stealing third base and home plate.
Western Michigan kept fighting in the third inning. Bronco infielder Caitlin Tighe singled to right field and drove in pinch runner Megan Malartsik and catcher Jordan Smith recorded Western Michigan’s fifth run off a RBI sacrifice flyout.
Winstead finished out the game in relief for Alabama and pitched 5.2 innings, giving up just four hits and two runs while striking out six batters.
After the third inning, it was all Alabama. Vandagriff came up with another RBI single, and Preuitt drove in Vandagriff off an RBI double that brought the Crimson Tide lead to 9-5.
In the sixth inning, Alabama put up five more runs. Preuitt once again drove in Vandagriff for an RBI double and later scored herself off another Western Michigan fielding error. Second baseman Kennedy Marceaux ended the game with a three-run home run later in the sixth and brought the leads to nine runs. Because Alabama was up eight or more runs in the fifth inning or later, the game ended.
The Crimson Tide finished the game with 12 hits, led by Prueitt and Vandagriff, who went 4-for-4 and 3-for-3, respectively. Vandagriff also stole five bases, breaking the school record for most stolen bases in a game. Elissa Brown previously set the record for Alabama in 2019 in a game against Missouri State.
Up next, Alabama will fly to Clearwater, Florida, for the Clearwater Invitational, where the team will once again play five games in three days. The Crimson Tide’s first matchup will be against San Diego State at 11 a.m. CT Friday.
