After coming back in the seventh inning to beat then-No. 23 South Alabama 2-1, Alabama put together a gem for the start of the Sand Dollar Classic: a perfect game from sophomore Sydney Littlejohn.
For the fifth straight year, Alabama opened the season without a loss on opening weekend.
Now, No. 4 Alabama heads to Birmingham for a midweek matchup with Samford before heading to Stanford, California, for the Stanford Nike Invitational.
“I think we’re just really lucky to be in the spot that we are, especially in the state of Alabama with so many other Division I teams, but also that they’re very competitive,” coach Patrick Murphy said. “You know, you have UAB, Samford, Jacksonville State, Troy, South [Alabama] non-conference, and then obviously Auburn [in] conference but you have so many good teams that you don’t have to go very far.”
The Crimson Tide is 19-2 all-time against the Bulldogs.
“Of course, Tuscaloosa is the best place to play, but anywhere close to that is also great,” Littlejohn said. “Just all the support that we have, not only in Tuscaloosa, but in places like Birmingham and this weekend in Mobile, it’s great to see that we do actually have the best fans in the country and that everyone comes out and supports us.”
In Mobile, the team competed in front of a sold-out crowd. In Birmingham, the Crimson Tide will play in front of a mix of fans.
“We feel like it’s our house,” junior infielder Leona Lafaele said. “We feel like it’s our field so it gives us the momentum to just go in there and own it as if it is our field.”
