Alabama Crimson Tide Softball Starts Off Strong on Opening Day

@AlabamaSB

Alabama got the season rolling with a pair wins in the desert.

GAME 1: ALABAMA 5, WASHINGTON 1

The Tide batting lineup for Game 1:

1. 3B Brooke Ellestad L – moved to SS
2. DH Alexis Pupillo L
3. C Marlie Giles R
4. 1B Abby Duchscherer R
5. RF Larissa Preuitt L
6. 2B Kali Heivilin R
7. SS Salen Hawkins R – PH Mari Hubbard R, took over 3B
8. LF Audrey Vandagriff L
9. CF Kristen White L

(Lotsa lefties.)

It was not the greatest way for Jocelyn Briski to start the 2025 season in front of all her extended family and hometown friends when she gave up a solo home run to the leadoff batter on the very first pitch. But what a wake up call it was as the Tide sophomore settled in and mowed down the rest of the Huskies lineup. She earned a complete game, allowing the HR and three singles, while striking out a career-high 8 opposing batters.

Freshman Audrey Vandagriff got her college career off on a good note as she doubled in the tying run on her first at bat.

Junior transfer Alexis Pupillo showed some pop in her bat when she led off the 3rd with a bomb to center field. The announcer really needs to reel in his enthusiasm.

After a single and a reach by error in that same inning, another frosh came up big as Mari Hubbard tripled in two more runs.

Vandagriff again showed off her chops by manufacturing a run in the 6th. After singling to lead off the frame, the Georgia native stole second, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on another ground out. Coach Patrick Murphy must have been in blissful heaven.

NOTES

• Larissa Preuitt stole two bases for the Crimson Tide in the win.
• Playing in front of her dad, Alexis DeBoer started at first base and went 1 for 3.
• Beating UW is a solid win, but the Huskies are in a rebuilding year. The Crimson Tide will see them again Saturday morning.

GAME 2: ALABAMA 6 MICHIGAN STATE 2

The Tide batting lineup for Game 1:

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

* 2B Kali Heivilin started but did not bat.

This announcer… misidentified the batter and then got her first name wrong. MARLIE Giles hit a solo dinger in the 1st inning to take an early 1-0 lead.

Former Ole Miss pitcher Catelyn Riley got the call in the circle for Game 2 and (gulp) batted for herself. Here we go again… After grounding out to short in the 2nd, she then gave up three singles in the next frame. A caught stealing killed the rally but MSU was able to tie it up 1-1.

Vandagriff was again making things happen in the 3rd when leading off, she singled, stole second, and advanced to third on an error by the catcher. (She is also stealing my heart and needs to lead off, Gut®.) However, she was stranded at third.

Bama pushed a pair of runs across the plate in the 4th inning on one hit when Riley hit a sac-fly following a walk and a single. A wild pitch moved a runner to third and a Hubbard ground out accounted for the other run. The Tide had a curtain call in the next frame with two more runs on a Pupillo single and a Giles double.

Riley wrapped up the scoring for Alabama with a solo homer in the 6th off a reliever.

Emily Winstead made her Alabama debut in the circle in the final inning and was GREAT… until she allowed a solo shot to make it 6-2. However, she did retire the other three batters she faced.

NOTES

• Riley (1-0) went 6 innings for the win. She allowed 6 singles, struck out one and walked one.
• 16 Tide players participated in this game.
• It is unclear what we can cull from this performance since Sparty was pretty awful last season (21-30) and not expected to do much better this year (picked to finish 14th in the Big Ten). But a win is a win.
• Three home runs in one day? Be still my heart.

UPCOMING ALABAMA SCHEDULE

Two more games Saturday and a getaway game on Sunday morning.

• Saturday, Feb 8 vs Washington 10:30 a.m. CT, Flo
• Saturday, Feb 8 at Arizona 6 p.m. CT, ESPN+
• Sunday, Feb 9 vs Western Michigan 10 a.m. CT, Flo

#RollTide #Team29