On Saturday, it came down to junior centerfielder Haylie McCleney’s at-bat. She couldn’t pull the ball and get a runner in. On Sunday, she did.
“I had no doubt she was going to get it done today,” Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said. “I thought she was going to get it done last night, but sometimes it happens. But as the at-bat went along, I thought she got more comfortable, and I just felt she was going to get it done.”
Junior first baseman Leona Lafaele doubled in the bottom of the seventh with the score tied 2-2. Junior Andrea Hawkins was put in to run. Sophomore left fielder Chandler Dare put down a sacrifice bunt to move Hawkins to third. McCleney worked a 1-2 count full before lining out to right field. Hawkins tagged up and came home for the win.
“Andrea did a great job base running ‘cause most people would’ve taken off immediately,” Murphy said. “Their outfield was pulled in and [Louisiana-Lafayette right fielder Aleah Craighton] made a hell of a catch, but Andrea did exactly what she needed to do, tagged and then scored.”
Alabama had a 1-0 lead following a third-inning sacrifice fly to plate one. The Ragin’ Cajuns came back in the sixth. Two singles led off the top half of the inning. Alabama starter right-hander Leslie Jury (3-2) left after 5.0 innings pitched. Jury allowed five hits and one run. She walked two and struck out seven.
Sophomore right-hander Sydney Littlejohn (7-0) came in for the final two innings and notched the win. She allowed one run, a home run with two outs in the top of the seventh that tied the game 2-2. She struck out four and walked one.
“I’m just so proud of my team,” McCleney said. “For [Jury] to do what she did and Sydney to do what she did, and all weekend – Sydney in the first game Saturday then [freshman right-hander Alexis Osorio] then [Jury] today. I’m really proud of our pitchers for the way they improved from last weekend.”
With the win, Alabama took the series 2-1 following a 5-1 win in the first game and a 2-1 loss in the second game on Saturday.
Alabama allowed two home runs in three games. Louisiana-Lafayette hit 28 home runs coming into the series. The Crimson Tide had six hits in Sunday’s win after putting up seven in the win Saturday and five in the loss.
Alabama (15-4) begins SEC play, hosting Ole Miss for a three-game series, starting Friday at 6:30 p.m.
