Alabama softball started its 2025 season at the Candrea Classic in Tucson, Arizona, and won four of the five games it played.
After an offseason of transfer portal additions and the addition of the freshman class, here is how the newest members of the Crimson Tide performed.
Audrey Vandagriff, outfielder
It did not take long for the freshman outfielder from Bogart, Georgia, to make her presence known.
After five games, Vadagriff holds the highest batting average on the team at .583. She went 7-for-12 at the Candrea Classic, knocking in six RBIs and drawing two walks.
Vandagriff has already stolen nine bases on the season without getting caught stealing once. In Sunday’s matchup against Western Michigan, she broke the school record for most stolen bases in a game with five. The previous record was four, set by Elissa Brown in 2019.
Alexis Pupillo, designated hitter
When junior Pupillo transferred from Northern Iowa to Alabama, the Crimson Tide gained a key offensive weapon. In her two seasons at Northern Iowa, Pupillo was first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference twice and recorded 98 RBIs and 35 home runs.
In her first weekend at the plate for Alabama, she batted .500, going 7-for-14 and hitting a home run in the Crimson Tide’s 5-1 win over Washington. She also drove in five runs and drew three walks.
Catelyn Riley, pitcher
Riley, who transferred from Ole Miss, appeared in 86 games with a 2.96 ERA in three seasons with the Rebels.
She started three of Alabama’s five games to start the season. In her three appearances, she led the Crimson Tide to wins over Michigan State and Washington and was held to a no-decision in Alabama’s win over Western Michigan.
Riley finished with a 2.63 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched and struck out four batters.
Not only can she pitch, but she also has hitting ability, shown by her hitting a home run against Michigan State.
Kennedy Marceaux and Mari Hubbard, infielders
Marceaux, a freshman from Kaplan, Louisiana, made her mark Sunday against Western Michigan. With Alabama up 11-5 in the top of the sixth inning, she blasted a three-run home run to left field that gave the Crimson Tide a 14-5 lead and put the run-ahead rule into effect, ending the game in six innings.
In her five plate appearances throughout the weekend, Marceaux went 2 for 5 with three RBIs.
Freshman Mari Hubbard from Huntsville, Alabama, also had her moment on Opening Weekend. Although she went 1-for-4, her one hit was a two-RBI triple that helped Alabama pull away in its first game against Washington.
The new additions hope to continue making their impact this weekend. Alabama will head to the Clearwater Invitational in Florida for five more games in three days, including showdowns against No. 4 UCLA and No. 10 Oklahoma State.
