Eight different lineups in eight different games – that’s Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy’s plan for Fall Brawl.
He said he doesn’t know if he can do it, but so far through four games, it’s held true.
“That’s been going really well in practice because everybody gets a lot of reps so in the games they’re also going to get a lot of reps,” Murphy said. “I’m definitely going to use probably eight different leadoff hitters, eight different cleanup hitters because I’ve got to see, you know, what Chandler Dare can do in a leadoff position just in case, because you never know.”
On Sunday, the Crimson Tide blanked the University of Mobile twice in the doubleheader, taking the first game 6-0 and the second 10-0.
Alabama recorded nine hits in the first game. Senior right-hander Leslie Jury went seven innings. She walked two, struck out two and gave up two hits.
In the second game, sophomore right-hander Sydney Littlejohn started in the circle. She went four innings and struck out four. Freshman right-hander Alexis Osorio finished for Alabama. In the two innings she pitched, she struck out two of the six batters she faced. Neither pitcher allowed a hit.
The Crimson Tide had 10 hits in the second game. The games gave an opportunity to move positions. Junior Leona Lafaele spent time behind the plate catching.
“I’ve never played catcher before, but I mean, whatever Murph wants and whatever [assistant head coach Alyson Habetz] wants, we’re going to do it, and we’re going to do it to the best of our abilities,” Lafaele said. “There is no excuse like, ‘Oh, I’ve never played there.’ I mean, yeah, but so what? That’s what the team needs you to do, and that’s what you’re going to do.”
Until the spring season starts, Fall Brawl is the only live competition the team will see.
“We practice so hard in the fall, I feel like all we ever do is have these really long practices and so when the weekend comes, we’re really excited for them because we finally get to actually hit off live pitching and take real ground balls in the game,” senior Danae Hays said. “Plus the crowd’s here so it’s always really fun in the fall just ‘cause it kind of get monotonous during the week.”
