The No. 9 Alabama softball team showcased its young talent and kept its record against Mississippi Valley State intact Tuesday night, handing the Delta Devilettes a definitive 12-0 loss in just uner five innings.
Alabama’s bats were hot throughout the game, scoring 12 runs on eight hits. Much of the offense came at the hands of non-starters who saw playing time. Coach Patrick Murphy said taking advantage of the chance to put young players in who may not always get to start is key for the team.
“We don’t get too many opportunities, and I think when we have Leslie [Jury] on the mound, she should be able to beat anybody anyway,” Murphy said. “She did her job, and up and down the lineup, we had seven RBIs, two triples by two freshmen, and I thought we respected them. And the way you respect an opponent is, you come out, you play really hard, and you bury them.”
(See also “Softball team sweeps Gamecocks“)
The two triples came off the bats of freshmen Marisa Runyon and Chandler Dare in the first and second innings, respectively. Both players brought in two runs apiece to score on their respective triples, and Dare brought in another run in the bottom of the third. Murphy said he plays freshmen with confidence in their abilities as players.
“I always say it doesn’t matter who’s playing,” Murphy said. “Somebody shouldn’t come to the game for the very first time and say, ‘Oh, she’s a freshman.’ That doesn’t cut it with me. So, you need to play the game like you know how, and you’re on the team. You’re a good player, and we expect the best out of you. I thought Chandler did that. I thought Runyon did that, so good for them.”
Senior Jordan Patterson, who also got a new opportunity playing right field instead of her normal spot at catcher, said the team has complete confidence in its young players.
(See also “Alabama softball team downs No. 9 Florida State, Houston in second day of Easton Crimson Classic“)
“Really, we try to approach it the same as any other game because what our coaches tell us is that anyone they put out there at any spot is capable of getting the job done,” Patterson said. “So, whatever lineup they put out there, we have complete faith that we’re going to get the job done and get the win.”
The game was also special for Patterson and Dare, Tuscaloosa natives who played together in high school at the American Christian Academy. Getting the chance to be on the field again together was a great experience, Dare said.
“As a freshman, just knowing that Jordan was coming in here, it was really cool, and I was like, ‘That’s really cool. That’s my dream,’” Dare said. “And just to see her dream come true, and now that I get to play with her again, it’s really surreal, and she’s such a joyful person and always fun to be around, and I’m just really glad I’ve got one more year with Jordan on the field.”
Jury (9-2, 1.91 ERA) also saw a good outing, allowing no runs and one hit and striking out a season-high nine batters. It was her sixth shutout of the season.
The Crimson Tide (21-4, 3-0 SEC) will seek to continue its SEC winning streak on the road against Ole Miss (15-9, 1-2) this weekend.
(See also “Softball team defeats UAB, continues winning streak“)
