Recap: Alabama Drops Opening SEC Series in Baton Rouge

In a big SEC opening series, LSU won two of three games from Alabama in Baton Rouge.

The biggest reason LSU won the series was their success in gaining early leads. Senior Bianka Bell belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the 1^st inning off Alabama starter Alexis Osorio in a 6-2 LSU win. In Sunday’s win, the Tigers scored two runs in the first inning en route to an 8-1 victory.

For the series, Bell was 5-10 with 2 home runs, 5 RBIs and 5 runs scored.

LSU junior slugger Sahvanna Jacquish and sophomore pitcher Carly Hoover each proved to be problematic for Alabama. Jacquish hit 2 round trippers and plated 6 RBIs while Hoover fanned 16 batters and issued just two walks in two complete game efforts.

Alabama did manage to win their first game against LSU in Baton Rouge since 2008 with a 10-3 win Saturday. Haylie McCleney propelled the Crimson Tide to the win thanks to one of her best games from the plate this season. The senior all-American went 3-4 with 2 RBIs along with 3 runs scored.

The biggest positive to take out of this week for Alabama is the continued emergence of Sydney Littlejohn as a capable weekend starter from the circle. Littlejohn took home two wins last week including a five-inning shutout of Samford and a complete game win at LSU Saturday.

While it’s early in the SEC schedule, LSU’s series win over Alabama increases the importance for the Crimson Tide to win either the Missouri or Florida series if they want to compete for an SEC title.

The Crimson Tide has the week off before traveling to California to participate in the Easton Tournament at Cal-State Fullerton.

College Softball Notes Around Alabama:

-#3 Auburn dropped their first two home games of the season Saturday and Sunday to #1 Florida. Florida has a chance for the sweep Monday evening.

-#5 Louisiana-Lafayette got a two-game sweep of South Alabama in a rain shortened Sun Belt Conference series.

-Troy dropped two of three games at home to Georgia State in the Sun Belt Conference opening series for both teams.

-Samford dropped three of four games at UT-Arlington’s Maverick Classic including a 10-8 loss to #25 Texas and a 3-0 defeat to #18 Arizona.

-Samford plays their fourth ranked team in 8 days as #3 Auburn travels to Birmingham Wednesday for a 5 PM first pitch.

-Jacksonville State fell to Illinois State and Louisville in a rain shortened weekend at the University of Louisville.