Alabama Crimson Tide Softball Crush & Get Crushed vs Washington Arizona

Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

After winning the first two games of the Candrea Classic on Friday, the Tide had a rematch with the Huskies followed by the Saturday marquee game with Arizona.

GAME 3: ALABAMA 7, WASHINGTON 3

Bama Lineup:

1. 3B Brooke Ellestad L
2. DH Alexis Pupillo L
3. C Marlie Giles R
4. P Catelyn Riley R – hit for herself
5. RF Larissa Preuitt L
6. 1B Abby Duchscherer R
7. 2B Kali Heivilin R
8. LF Audrey Vandagriff L
9. CF Kristen White L

* SS Salen Hawkins – did not bat

In a somewhat surprising development, Patrick Murphy went back to Catelyn Riley as the Game 3 starter in the circle. The Gut® was super impressed with the Ole Miss transfer’s performance against droopy drawers Michigan State that he ran her back out there and again had her bat for herself. Granted she won that game 5-1 and hit a home run, but Sparty is really bad. And that pitcher who gave up the long-ball? She had a 6.76 ERA last year and 6.14 the year before. Saturday was a little different outcome. Could Riley duplicate against UW? Yes and no. Outside of a 1st inning gaffe, she was good. But her spot in the batting order was not great.

In the bottom of the 1st, a fielding error by SS Salen Hawkins and a Huskies single put two on for Kalen DeBoer’s daughter, Alexis DeBoer, who sent the ball into the stratosphere.

Alabama finally got on the board in the 4th as Larissa Preuitt hit a leadoff home run.

Later in that same inning, Audrey Vandagriff – who is still batting 8th for some Gut® reason, had an infield single and proceeded to steal second base AND third base. But alas, she was again stranded.

Bama put two runners on base in the 5th but could not push a run across home plate. This feat was duplicated in the 6th but this time, Brooke Ellestad was not wasting the opportunity as she crushed her first four-bagger as a member of the Crimson Tide. Bama followed with two more singles, but Riley ended the inning with a foul out.

The Tide was not done yet. In the 7th, Vandagriff followed a pair of walks with a sac fly that made the score 5-3. Kristen White singled and took second on the throw. Ellestad was hit by pitch to load the bases. Alexis Pupillo singled in two more runs to make it 7-3.

NOTES

• Outside of the 1st inning, Riley pitched okay. The surprising development is that it appears that Murphy considers her the No. 2 pitcher. Assumptions were that Riley started against sloppy-ass Sparty because she was No. 3 or lower. after three games, Jocelyn Briski and Riley have pitched all but one inning.
• I mentioned that El Gutto Grandre (patent pending) let Riley bat for herself, but neglected to mention that he was so impressed with Friday’s dinger that he moved her up from the six-spot to clean-up (4th). She struck out swinging with a runner on second in the 1st inning, struck out swinging in the 3rd, singled with two outs and no one on base, and fouled out with two runners on base and two outs in her final at bat.
• Bama’s “green light girls” stole six bases in Game 3 including two each by Vandagriff and Preuitt. As a team, they have 11 through three games.
• The Tide also has five home runs to this point.

SATURDAY GAME 4: ARIZONA 9, ALABAMA 1 – 5 Innings Run Rule

Bama Lineup:

1. 3B Brooke Ellestad L
2. DH Alexis Pupillo L
3. C Marlie Giles R
4. 3B Riley Valentine R – first start
5. RF Larissa Preuitt L
6. 2B Kali Heivilin R
7. 1B Abby Duchscherer R
8. CF Lauren Johnson R – first start
9. LF Audrey Vandagriff L

It was Jocelyn Briski vs Miranda Stoddard and both girls were throwing donuts. That is until the 3rd inning when ‘Zona loaded the bases on an error, a single and a walk, and another single plated two Wildcats.

Alabama got their first base runner to second base in the top of the 4th with a walk and a single. A fielder’s choice put runners at the corners with one out, but the Tide could not convert.

In the following inning, the Crimson Tide again put runners at the corners with one out on a pair of singles. That is when Arizona substituted redshirt freshman Ryan Maddox for Stoddard. She induced a ground out, but Vandagriff got the RBI to make it 2-1 ‘Cats.

And then the bottom fell out. In the bottom of the 5th, Arizona went single, walk, two-run double. Alea Johnson came in for Briski but could not put out the fire. Three straight singles and a pass ball plated two more runs before the first out of the inning was recorded. With the score at a treacherous 6-1, Johnson rebounded to retire the next two batters. Then Murphy called for an intentional walk to load the bases. BIG mistake as all three runners scored on a double that was ruled a tough luck error by Preuitt in right field.

NOTES

• How many times over the years have we seen the Gut® call for an intentional walk and it backfiring? Asking for a friend.
• Is it just me or is it odd to start two bench players against a team of the magnitude of Arizona in their home stadium?
• While the other three wins were good, Arizona is the first ranked team the Tide has faced.
• It is baffling why Vandagriff is hitting 8th or 9th.
• No stolen bases, doubles, triples, or home runs for the Tide in Game 4.
• Hmm. Funny how the announcer found some life in this game. I wonder why… #FloSoftballSux

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

One more game in Tuscon before heading back to T-town. WMU should not put up much of a fight but don’t get lazy, Tide! Lest ye be reminded of the Opening Day loss to Lehigh in 2023!

• Sunday, Feb 9 vs Western Michigan 10 a.m. CT, FloSoftball Third-World Streaming

#RollTide #Team29