Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy doesn’t like drama.
“Only on TV,” he said.
He got drama in the 4-3 win over UAB on Wednesday night.
The No. 2 Crimson Tide had a 4-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning with two outs before UAB’s left fielder Hayley Davis hit a solo home run. After giving up a single in the next at–bat, freshman Sydney Littlejohn was replaced by senior Jaclyn Traina.
(See also “UA softball team wins 4th SEC sweep“)
Traina gave up a walk before striking out the last batter to finish the game.
“I mean, if I didn’t get [the first batter], I wasn’t worried about it,” Traina said. “I was like, ‘I’m getting the next one.’ So I had full confidence in myself.”
Littlejohn (8-0, 1.59 ERA) got the win in 6 2/3 innings pitched. Traina earned the save, her third of the year.
Alabama had no trouble hitting, tallying 12 hits on the night. When it came down to scoring, however, the Crimson Tide ran into a problem.
(See also “Tide softball teams prepares for midweek matchup“)
“They made good defensive plays when they had to, and the ball just didn’t bounce our way,” senior infielder Kaila Hunt said. “I mean, it did a couple times when we scored those four runs, they made two errors, but then other times, they hosed [freshman] Chandler [Dare] at home, and then they get a double play with no outs and bases loaded. They made the plays when they had to.”
Hunt went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. She hit an RBI triple in the first and an RBI single in the fifth. Junior utility player Jadyn Spencer reached first on an error in the fifth that sent a run home. She went 0-for-4 on the night with one RBI. Sophomore first baseman Leona Lafaele singled in a run in the fifth. She went 1-for-2 on the night.
In the fourth inning, Dare was pinch running for senior Molly Fichtner. Junior shortstop Danae Hays singled into left field, and Dare tried to score from home. The UAB left fielder gunned her at home.
“A couple aggressive base running mistakes,” Murphy said. “Their left fielder [Davis] made a great play. Got to give her credit. It was Chandler running. I would’ve sent her all day long.”
The win was Alabama’s 10th straight. It has won 19 of its last 20 games. It also sits on top of the SEC with a comfortable cushion.
“I think they’ve done a great job of not looking ahead all season long,” Murphy said. “Once we got back from Arizona and we had that little hiccup there, I guess you’ve got to experience it to learn from it, and I think they’ve done a great job.”
(See also “Softball team defeats UAB, continues winning streak“)
The only loss in the last 20 games came to then-No. 1 Florida. The Crimson Tide took the series, and hasn’t lost since.
Alabama (36-5, 14-1 SEC) travels to Mississippi State (30-13, 3-9) this weekend to face the Bulldogs. The first game starts at 5 p.m. on Friday.
