In its last game before conference play begins, No. 5 Alabama defeated Mississippi Valley State University, 7-0 at home on Wednesday night.

“Yesterday we were kind of disappointed in our run production,” junior Bailey Hemphill said. “We told ourselves in the beginning of the season we were really amped up and hyped to play games and we have kind of been coasting through. So today we wanted to come out with some energy.”

The Crimson Tide looked to swing its way out of the recent hitting slump as the team scored seven runs on seven hits. Hemphill had a strong game at the plate. She went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Her three-run home run in the bottom of the second helped wake up the offense after the Crimson Tide stranded the bases loaded in the first inning.

“I just kind of learned from every one’s at-bats in front of me,” Hemphill said. “[Mississippi Valley State pitcher] kept going outside with everyone so I knew I just had to put the ball in play and try to take it opposite or straight up the middle. I was just lucky enough to hit it over, I thought it was going to hit the wall. I was happy that I went opposite field because I have been struggling with that recently.”

Alabama also got some offense from freshman Kayla Davis as coach Patrick Murphy changed up the lineup for the game.

“We just wanted to give everybody a shot and give everybody an at-bat,” Murphy said. “Kloyee Anderson got her first start, Kayla got a hit, Taylor [Clark]  got an at-bat, KB got in the game, the only one that didn’t was Elissa but she came in defensively. I wanted everybody to get some time on the field all three pitchers did exactly what we wanted. Krystal was excellent, Madison had a really, really good inning and then got out of a mini-jam, and then Courtney was lights out.”

Junior Krystal Goodman started in the circle for Alabama. She pitched four innings allowing only one hit, one walk and struck out five. Goodman was efficient in her start as 34 of her 56 pitches were strikes as she held the Delta Devils hitless until the fourth inning.

“What was working for me was obviously my changeup,” Goodman said. “That’s my thing and when its hard I think I’m a tough to come at. I think I was a little bit sharper with it today.”

Alabama will be back in action on Friday as the Crimson Tide begin SEC play when it hosts the Missouri Tigers.

“We wrote on the board ‘S-E-C’ in caps and then ‘ond,’” Murphy said. “We call it the ‘Second Season’ cause the first part is over and now comes the hard part and the fun part and I think they are excited and ready to go. I’m really glad we get to open up at home.”