Kerflop in Clearwater for Alabama Crimson Tide Softball

Alabama gets back to a winning record and was an eyelash away from a weekend sweep.

GAME 1: VIRGINIA TECH 2, ALABAMA 1

After three innings, Alabama had no hits to VaTech’s three singles. In the 4th, the Hokies leadoff batter walked, stole second and took third base on a fielding error by Kali Heivilin. After a strikeout, a fielder’s choice made it 1-0 Hokies. Originally, the play was ruled an inning-ending double play but after video review, it was overturned to a fielder’s choice at first and a run for Tech.

After four innings, Catelyn Riley came in to pitch for Joceyln Briski for some reason.

In the bottom of 5th, the Crimson Tide got their first hit of the day from the most unlikeliest of players when Abby Duchscherer doubled. Alas, she was left standing at second base.

In the 6th, a walk and a double made it 2-0 VT. In the bottom of that frame, Kristen White led off with a single. Audrey Vandagriff reached on a fielding error that moved White up to third base. A Larissa Preuitt single secured the Tide’s only run of the game.

With one out on the bottom of the 7th, Bama put two runners on base off of singles, but Salen Hawkins and White both flied out to end the game. Jocelyn Briski (1-5) took the hard luck loss.

GAME 2: ALABAMA 9, SOUTHERN UTAH 1 (6 Inn. Run Rule)

Against this sorry-ass cupcake, Heivilin got the scoring started with a 2nd inning solo home run.

However, the Thunderbirds tied it up in the top of the 4th with their own solo shot off starter Alea Johnson to lead off the inning. After getting an out, a SUU player reached first base on a strikeout that was ruled a wild pitch/dropped third strike. A throwing error by Brooke Ellestad moved the runner up and put another runner on base. After a strikeout, a walk filled the bases. At this point, coach Patrick Murphy opted to hook Johnson in favor of Emily Winstead, who got the last out.

In the bottom of the inning, Bama put two on base for Kennedy Marceaux who hammered a ball over the left field wall for a 3-run homer.

The Crimson Tide put this one away in the 6th with a pair of two-run singles from Kendal Clark – her first at bat of the season – and Preuitt, before Duchscherer capped the 9-1 run-rule victory with an RBI single.

GAME 3: ALABAMA 19, DRAKE 0 (5 Inn. Run Rule)
~and~
GAME 4: ALABAMA 11, DRAKE 2 (5 Inn. Run Rule)

Alabama mercilessly pummeled the hapless Ducks Ramorays Bulldogs for 34 hits in the doubleheader and everyone involved in scheduling this godawful team should really be ashamed.

GAME 5: ALABAMA 9, VIRGINIA TECH 1 (5 Inn., Run Rule)

Back to reality, Bama got revenge on the Gobblers.

After a 1-2-3 first inning by the Hokies, Vandagriff worked her magic with a leadoff single and a theft of second base. A ground out moved her to third base. After Alexis Pupillo was hit by pitch, Duchscherer smacked a double off the left field wall that scored Vandagriff. Ellestad followed with a single to put the Crimson Tide up 2-0.

Bama scored two more runs in the 3rd inning off a bases loaded single by Marlie Giles. An infield single by White brought home a fifth run.

It was deja vu all over again in the 4th, when Vandagriff got her patented two-fer (get on first-steal second). A ground out moved her to third and following a Bama out, she scored on a wild pitch. What a remarkable player she is.

Later in that same inning, Duchscherer stayed hot with a single. Pinch hitter Kendal Clark walked and Heivilin followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 7-0.

Through four innings of play, Jocelyn Briski had been near perfect retiring 12 of 13 batters she had faced yielding only a walk. However, in the top of 5th, she gave up a leadoff double. After a K, a wild pitch move the runner to third base. This was followed by a walk and a strikeout. It was almost as if you could feel Briski losing her stuff. A second double ended the shutout and Briski’s day as Catelyn Riley relieved her in the circle. To that point, Briski looked great. Murphy’s Gut® is starting to figure out how far to let her go.

Bama put two runners on base in the 5th and Preuitt ended the game with a 2 run single to right center which triggered the Run Rule

NOTES

• While the Tide had all their games streamed on SEC+, there was only one camera angle which was from behind home plate. It’s an improvement from recent seasons but still has the program stuck in 2017.
• Saturday was Senior Day for Emily Winstead which seems like odd recognition for a person who has played only a handful of games in crimson and white.
• Freshman pitcher Braya Hodges made her first appearance of the season and pitched 2.0 inning. She gave up 1 hit, two walks, and whiffed four in the 19-9 Drake shellacking.
• Heivilin has a team-leading four round-trippers, three of which were solos.
• Kendal Clark is making her way back from a broken thumb. She pinch-hit in Game 2 (1-1, run scored, 2 RBI), pinch-hit and played right field in Game 3 (2-2, 2 runs, 1 RBI), and subbed in to Game 4 to play right field but did not get an at bat. In the finale, she walked in a pinch-hitting role. When she gets to 100%, there will be some hard decisions to be made. She is a better fielder than Larissa Preuitt, but Preuitt is swinging a great bat so far this season. Kristen White saves runs in centerfield. Audrey Vandagriff is the team’s best player. It would be hard to bench any of those four. That means someone – likely Preuitt – would have to DH. 1B Abby Duchscherer may have finally got a groove going and it would be a mistake to leave her out of the starting lineup while she is hot (but we’re talking The Gut® here.). Alexis Pupillo has been more consistent at the plate and brings a fire to the game like we have not seen in awhile (can Pup play third base?).
• Salen Hawkins did not get a hit all weekend and is not the worst defender, but she certainly is not irreplaceable. Brooke Ellestad was suppose to play third base for the Tide but Hawkins’s deficiencies have prompted Ellestad’s move to SS – something she did a lot in the five games. Freshman Kennedy Marceaux took the hot corner in those situations.

MVP

• DUCHSCHERER – 10 for 14 (.714), hits in all five games, 2 DBL, 1 HR, 4 RUNS, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K
• MARCEAUX – 6 for 10 (.600) in 4 games, 2 DBL, 1 HR, 5 RUNS, 4 RBI, 2 BB
• BRISKI – 8.2 innings, 138 pitches, 5 hits, 2 runs allowed, 1 earned run allowed, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 WP

UPCOMING ALABAMA SCHEDULE

The Cupcake Classic, Tuscaloosa, AL

• Friday, Feb 28 vs UAB 4pm/5pm
• Friday, Feb 28 vs Furman 6:30/7:30
• Saturday, Mar 1 vs SIUE 11am/noon
• Saturday, Mar 1 vs Furman 1:30/2:30
• Sunday, Mar 2 vs UAB 1pm/2pm

HOW TO WATCH

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#RollTide #Team29