After a 90-minute rain delay to start the game, Alabama softball needed just two hours to shut out Loyola Chicago, 5-0, and earn its 20th win of the season.

Alabama (20-2) scored in five of the six innings it came to bat while Loyola-Chicago (14-1) struggled to even make contact against Crimson Tide starter Alexis Osorio (10-1), who struck out 18 and allowed just one hit in the complete-game shutout. It is her third game of the season with at least 18 strikeouts, now owning three of the five such performances in Alabama softball history. On offense, six of the Tide’s nine starters got a hit, led by Peyton Grantham with a 2-2 performance.

With two on and two out in the bottom of the first, Merris Schroder poked an RBI single up the middle to score Chandler Dare from second and give Alabama an early 1-0 lead. With two on and nobody out in the next inning, a throwing error allowed pinch-runner Rachel Bobo to score from second and double the Tide’s lead, 2-0.

An RBI single by Grantham in the third made it 3-0 and Bailey Hemphill blasted a solo home run in the fourth inning, her team-leading fifth homer of the season, to make it 4-0. A sacrifice fly by Marisa Runyon in the bottom of the sixth allowed the fifth and final run of the day to tag up and score for Alabama.

Next up, Alabama hosts Valparaiso on Wednesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. CT before beginning SEC play this weekend against Arkansas at Rhoads Stadium. Game one is set for a 6:30 p.m. CT start on Friday, March 10.

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