Alabama Softball Slugs its Way to 9-3 Win Saturday Over Missouri

Four home runs, including three off the bat of Peyton Grantham, led Alabama to a decisive 9-3 victory over Missouri Saturday to even the weekend series.

After being shut out Friday, Alabama (32-5, 8-3 SEC) rebounded with a nine-run performance Saturday, its second-highest output in conference play so far this season. Peyton Grantham accounted for six of the team’s nine RBIs, blasting three home runs for a 3-3 day at the plate. The three home runs tie a single-game record at Alabama, marking just the third time in program history a player has hit three home runs in a game. Jaclyn Traina previously did so as a freshman against Western Michigan on Feb. 26, 2011 and Marisa Runyon hit three on May 2, 2015 against Arkansas.

Missouri (19-14, 2-5 SEC) out-hit Alabama, 8-7, but left six batters on base, including five in scoring position. Sydney Littlejohn (13-1) went the distance for the complete-game win while Missouri starter Madi Norman (7-7) took the loss, exiting after 2.2 innings with six runs allowed. Danielle Baumgartner pitched 4.1 relief innings behind her.

In the top of the first, Demi Turner drew a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced to third on a bunt single by Mari Cranek to put runners at the corners. After a popup, Bailey Hemphill drew a full count and then laced a hard-hit single through the left side to score Turner and put Alabama up 1-0. Grantham squared up on the fourth pitch of the next at-bat and blasted a no-doubt home run to left-center, pushing the lead to 4-0.

A leadoff single and a one-out error put two on base for Missouri in the bottom of the first and a fly ball allowed the runner at second to tag up and advance to third. A successful double-steal plated one run for Missouri before a groundout ended the inning with the score now 4-1.

With a runner on base and two out in the top of the third, Grantham blasted her second home run of the day into left field, extending Alabama’s lead to 6-1. After a pitching change for Missouri, a lineout ended the half-inning. Cayla Kessinger, who hit a home run in yesterday’s game, smacked a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Tide’s lead to 6-3.

With two on and one out in the bottom of the sixth for Missouri, the Tigers loaded the bases on what was ruled a base hit as Turner was struck in the face on a throw attempt and had to exit the game. Later with the bases loaded, a 1-2-3 double play got Alabama out of the jam to end the inning and preserve the three-run lead.

Regan Dykes, pinch-hitting for the injured Turner, led off the top of the seventh with a single and, two batters later, Merris Schroder added some insurance with a two-run home run down the left-field line to extend the lead to 8-3. Two batters later, Grantham smacked her third home run of the day, a solo shot to make it 9-3. The Tigers would get a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh but could not scratch a run across as the Tide held on to win, 9-3, and even the weekend series.

The series rubber match is set for a 12 p.m. CT start on Sunday, April 2 in Columbia.