After holding LSU to three runs in the series sweep over the weekend, the No. 4 Alabama softball team (31-5, 11-1 SEC) was in no danger of losing its place at the top of the SEC.
Two of the three wins came from senior right-hander Jaclyn Traina (13-2, 1.74 ERA). Between Friday and Sunday, she pitched 13.0 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and one walk.
Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said Traina looks a lot more confident and aggressive in the circle.
“We saw that in 2012 for sure, glimpses of it last year, but it’s definitely the old Jackie,” Murphy said. “Especially Friday night, I think she had under 90 pitches. I’m not sure what it was today [Sunday], but again only one walk in the seventh inning, so another great job.”
Alabama pitching was helped by its lineup in each game. Murphy said the hitting is in a better place from last year.
(See also “Spencer hones softball skill“)
“We would have the same situations last year, and we wouldn’t get that hit,” Murphy said. “Today [Sunday], it was two hits. It was a three-run double by [sophomore right fielder] Andrea Hawkins with no outs and then the two-out, two-run Texas Leaguer by [sophomore first baseman] Leona [Lafaele] and last year, we didn’t get those hits. It would be a pop up or a strikeout, and we’d have to have three or four hits in an inning just to score one run, and now this year, it’s one really good hit that scores three.”
The way the team has been playing this year has created a great feeling with the team, Traina said.
“We’re communicating, we’re doing things that good teams should do, and I really appreciate them because I know they put in a lot of hard work,” Traina said.
The weekend sweep led the way for the Crimson Tide to take No. 1 in RPI.
Before Alabama hosts Arkansas this weekend in its next SEC matchup, it will play No. 11 South Alabama on Wednesday. The midweek matchup will be the ninth time that the two teams have faced each other. Alabama is 8-0 against the Jaguars.
(See also “Alabama softball team wins 8th straight game“)
The Crimson Tide has won 14 of its last 15 games, but Murphy said he hasn’t paid attention to that. He said he is focusing on South Alabama.
“I’m really glad we got to schedule it because they’re very good, and it will not really be a break from conference, but it will be a tough nonconference midweek for sure,” Murphy said.
South Alabama boasts a .85 ERA, with junior Farish Beard and senior Hannah Cambell touting .43 and .61 ERAs, respectively. Alabama’s pitching has a 1.83 ERA for the season.
“You’re playing for one run I think when you play somebody like that,” Murphy said. “So there’s probably going to be a lot more small ball and hoping just to get somebody on and maybe manufacture a run that maybe we haven’t had to do as much but definitely going to have to do it Wednesday night.”
(See also “Softball team sweeps Gamecocks“)
