Alabama Softball Recap: Missouri Downs Tide in “Show Me State”

For the first time in SEC play and the second in the 2017 season, Alabama softball lost two of three games to the Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Missouri.

Offensive Woes

Outside of the nine runs scored in Saturday’s win, Alabama struggled to produce runs in their series loss to Missouri.

In Friday’s 2-0 loss, Alabama outhit Missouri 6-4 but hit into three inning-ending double plays including a fly out that saw Chandler Dare gunned out at the plate to end the top of the first inning.

In Sunday’s 4-3 loss in nine innings, the Crimson Tide could not cash in on opportunities to build an early lead as they left runners in scoring position in each of their first two at bats. In the top of the fourth inning, Marisa Runyon delivered the game’s first run with an RBI single to center field. An inning later, sophomore Reagan Dykes delivered a two-run double to center field.

Alabama scored a total of 12 runs over the three-game weekend series with nine runs accounted for on Saturday.

The lack of run production has been a chronic issue for Alabama in their six losses and in SEC play. The Crimson Tide has been shutout four times in their six losses and has scored an average of 4.7 runs per game in 12 SEC games this season.

Saturday’s Home Run Barrage

Alabama powered their way toward their eighth SEC win of the season Saturday thanks to four home runs. Peyton Grantham swatted a career-high three round trippers that provided six of the team’s nine runs in their 9-3 win. In addition to Grantham’s three homers, Merris Schroder launched a two-run shot in the top of the sixth inning.

Demi Turner Injury

During Saturday’s 9-3 win for the Crimson Tide, senior second baseman Demi Turner took a throw in the face from shortstop Sydney Booker who was attempting to throw a batter out at first. Turner got out of the hospital the next day but did not play in Sunday’s series finale.

Lipscomb

In a rare mid-week neutral site game in Florence, Alabama, the Crimson Tide will battle the Lipscomb Bison out of the Atlantic Sun. The Bison enter Wednesday’s game 27-10 overall, 3-3 in the A-Sun and are ranked 42^nd in this week’s NCAA RPI rankings.

Lipscomb’s pitching staff is second in the A-Sun in team ERA (2.09), runs allowed (95) and strikeouts (281). Individually, Camden, Alabama native Mandy Jordan has a 17-5 record, leads the A-Sun with 176 strikeouts and is second in the conference with a 1.16 ERA.

Offensively, junior Caitlin Plocheck paces the Bison with a .349 batting average, seven homers and 23 RBIs.

First pitch Wednesday from Florence, Alabama, is at 6 PM.

College Softball around Alabama

After losing two of three games at Florida, the Auburn Tigers swept the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens. Sophomore Kendall Veach led the way for the Tigers with two round trippers in Saturday’s win and recorded seven RBIs during the series. Auburn wraps up a 12-game road swing Wednesday night at Birmingham’s Spain Park High School against Samford.

The Samford Bulldogs swept the Chattanooga Mocs for the second straight season this weekend in Chattanooga. Jessica Stone allowed four hits and struck out two while not walking a batter during her second complete game shutout of the season.

Jacksonville State swept Murray State in their only OVC doubleheader of the weekend. Leila Chambers went 4-6 with two home runs, seven RBIs and three runs scored in the twin bill. The Gamecocks take a six-game winning streak into Tuesday’s road contest against UAB.

South Alabama swept Appalachian State for their second Sun Belt Conference series win of the year. Junior Devin Brown earned two wins in the circle including a complete game shutout to open the series.

UAB clinched their first road series win of the year by claiming two of three games at Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers outscored UAB 9-7 in the series but UAB won the series thanks to a pair of one-run victories and two complete game outings from senior pitcher Cara Goodwin.

Alabama State won two of three games against in-state rival Alabama A&M while Troy lost two of three at home to UT-Arlington.