Alabama Softball Scores 11 Combined Runs in Two Wins Friday at Easton Bama Bash

Alabama scored 11 combined runs in two wins Friday at the Easton Bama Bash, shutting out UCF, 4-0, before defeating Texas Tech, 7-2.

Alabama (10-2) tallied 21 hits between the two games while limiting UCF (4-5) and Texas Tech (7-5) to just three combined. Merris Schroder continued her hot hitting at the plate with a 3-7 (.429) day, smacking a home run in each game. Demi Turner also went 3-7 with a pair of runs scored and Bailey Hemphill was 4-6 (.667) courtesy of a perfect 4-4 performance in the game against the Red Raiders.

In the circle, Sydney Littlejohn (4-0) threw a complete game two-hit shutout against the Knights and Alexis Osorio (5-1) followed with a near-flawless performance in the nightcap against Texas Tech, with a two-run home run as the only hit allowed along with 14 strikeouts, including nine-straight to start the game.

GAME ONE: ALABAMA 4, UCF 0

Behind a complete-game shutout by Littlejohn in the circle, Alabama shut out UCF, 4-0, to start Friday play at the Easton Bama Bash. Turner and Claire Jenkins each notched a pair of hits in the win while Turner, Hemphill and Schroder accounted for the Tide’s four RBIs. Knights starter Alea White (1-4) took the loss, throwing 6.0 innings with four earned runs on eight hits and four walks.

In the bottom of the third with the bases loaded and one out, a hard line drive to center field by Hemphill allowed Jenkins to tag up and score on the sac fly for the first run of the day. A two-run home run by Schroder in the bottom of the sixth extended the lead to 3-0 and Alabama kept the pressure on later in the inning, putting two in scoring position with two out. On a hard grounder to the shortstop, the fielder opted to keep the ball and try and tag out Elissa Brown in between second and third for the final out. Some heads-up base running by Brown allowed the runner at third to score and the freshman safely reached third with the score now 4-0. A 1-2-3 top of the seventh capped off the shutout win for the Tide.

GAME TWO: ALABAMA 7, TEXAS TECH 2

The Alabama offense scored consistently in Friday’s second game, putting at least one run on the board in five of its six innings at the plate. Hemphill was a perfect 4-4 while Schroder, Peyton Grantham and Caroline Hardy each had multi-hit performances as well. Osorio put on another masterful display in the circle, fanning 14 batters with just one walk allowed and her lone hit allowed of the day, a two-run home run, accounting for Texas Tech’s entire offensive output. Red Raider starter Kassidy Scott (3-3) went the distance in the loss, allowing seven runs, six earned, on 13 hits.

The Tide wasted no time putting runs on the board, posting three in the bottom of the first. A dropped fly ball in the outfield allowed the first run to cross and a two-run single in the gap by Grantham pushed two more across to make it 3-0. An RBI single by Hemphill in the next inning made it 4-0.

After 3.1 perfect innings to start the game, Osorio walked the second batter of the fourth inning to break up the perfect game. After a strikeout, Texas Tech right fielder Kierra Miles emphatically ended the no-hit bid with a two-run home run, cutting the Tide lead to 4-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, Turner found herself safe at first base after a fielding error, earning an RBI on what would have been a groundout with the score now 5-2. Schroder led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot to make it 6-2 while an RBI single by Grantham in the sixth drove in the seventh and final run of the day for Alabama.

Alabama continues play at the Easton Bama Bash tomorrow, facing Gardner-Webb at 1:30 p.m. CT and Texas Tech at 4 p.m. CT.