No. 5 Alabama improved to 21-0 after a victory over South Alabama, 5-2. The Crimson Tide struggled offensively  managing only seven hits.

“I just think we need to compete a little harder, especially with two strikes” coach Patrick Murphy said. “Just don’t give in as easy. Compete your butt off and most of the time in softball and baseball, it is the competitor that gets the job done. It doesn’t have to be a pretty swing, I’d rather it be gritty than pretty.”

Bailey Hemphill got Alabama on the board with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Her eighth long ball of the season ties her for seventh in the NCAA. Alabama then went cold for three straight innings, as it could only muster two hits in that span. Senior Regan Dykes was one of the few bright spots at the plate for Alabama. She went 3-for-3 with a double in the fourth inning.

“I went in today just trying to keep it simple, see ball, hit ball,” Dykes said. “My thought was see a good pitch, hit a good pitch. I was able to get good barrel on the ball and find some key hits.”

Skylar Wallace continued to stay red hot in the nine-spot as her double in the fifth inning extends her hitting streak to three games.

“I just really like her in the nine spot, she is doing good things for us and she is kind of a surprise for us down there,” Murphy said. “That hit was a big hit too because they tied it and then she sparked that inning.”

Wallace’s double to lead off the fifth, led to a two-run inning that gave Alabama the run cushion it needed to close out the game as the Crimson Tide was locked in another defensive game. In the circle, junior Sarah Cornell got the win to improve her record to 8-0. The Westbury, New York native pitched five innings, struck out three and allowed two earned runs on three hits. Cornell gave up her first home run in an Alabama uniform in the top of the fifth after she held the Jaguars hitless in the fourth.

“It was a little hard to get warmed up and everything,” Cornell said. “I had to get myself started a little bit and I just tried to do my best with the weather conditions.”

The Crimson Tide play one more non-conference game before beginning SEC play against Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT.