Three runs, that’s all that No. 5/7 Alabama softball gave up when LSU came into town.
“That’s the first thing I said was, ‘One run a game, there’s no way that we should lose any of those three because I think our offense can get two runs,’” Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said.
The offense did get at least two runs in each game. Friday, the Crimson Tide won 9-1 in six innings. Saturday, senior Kaila Hunt had a walk-off single to win 2-1. On Sunday, Alabama completed the sweep with a 5-1 win. It was the first three-game series sweep over LSU since 2008.
Senior right hander Jaclyn Traina (13-2) earned the wins on Friday and Sunday. On Sunday, she gave up one run, four hits and a walk.
“It’s Sunday. It’s the end of the series so of course you’re going to feel like a little bit out of your comfort zone just because of the wear and tear on your body, but I still felt very confident in myself,” Traina said. “And once again, I have a great team behind me so it makes it a lot easier for me even if I don’t feel like dead-on accurate.”
Traina celebrated her senior night with a win on Friday, only giving up one run on four hits in six innings pitched.
“I think just seeing all those people here for her and a lot of the people from Naples, [Fla.], came up, just you could tell it was a different looking Jackie: a lot more confident, very aggressive on the mound, just determined look,” Murphy said.
Sophomore right fielder Andrea Hawkins went 4 for 9 on the weekend, including a sac fly to tie Saturday’s game 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh. On Sunday, she hit a three-run double with no outs to put Alabama up 3-0 in the third inning.
“It takes so much pressure off of Jac on the mound,” Hawkins said. “As long as she has insurance runs it calms her down so getting the runs earlier in the game is a lot better for her.”
Alabama plated two more in the bottom of the third off a two-out floater by sophomore first baseman Leona Lafaele.
With the win on Sunday, Alabama improved to 30-5 on the regular season and 10-1 in SEC play. Alabama has won 14 of the last 15 games.
The Crimson Tide will host No. 13/12 South Alabama on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m.
