After Sunday’s 6-5 comeback win over No. 16 Tennessee, Alabama coach Patrick Murphy wasn’t happy with the team’s adjustment to the new pitcher.
“That was the thing we didn’t do very good against Tennessee when they put in their kid,” Murphy said. “We went five innings without scoring, and then last night Jacksonville State switched three times and I thought we did a better job against them.”
No. 4 Alabama softball had a chance to make adjustments in its 10-3 win over Jacksonville State on Wednesday. The team collected 12 hits on three pitchers.
Alabama also used all three of its pitchers. Junior right-hander Sydney Littlejohn (6-1) collected her sixth win. Freshman left-hander Madi Moore came in for relief but left after hitting a batter and giving up a single. Sophomore right-hander Alexis Osorio collected her third save of the year in 1 1/3 innings of relief.
The Crimson Tide (16-1) hosts Louisiana-Monroe, North Dakota State and DePaul in the Easton Crimson Classic starting Friday at 4 p.m. with ULM followed by a 6 p.m. matchup with the Bison.
Saturday is Kallie Case’s senior day. The utility player has a .293 career average. She and the other seniors have been a rock in the lineup. Outfielder Andrea Hawkins and first baseman Leona Lafaele have the two best batting averages on the team, hitting .500 and .408, respectively. Centerfielder Haylie McCleney is hitting .370 on the year.
“They’ve all done something well off the field too,” Murphy said. “Haylie and Kallie are probably our two best leaders and they’ve brought stuff to the table that nobody else has in a long time in that regard. But I just think it’s a decision you make in your mind that ‘I’ve had enough of this. I’m not going to be mediocre. I’m going to be good this year.’ ”
