Bama softball continued the trend of Crimson Tide victories over that college in “West Georgia”.
GAME 1: ALABAMA 1, AUBURN 0
Did you have ‘Pitchers Duel with Kristen White Recording the Game’s Only RBI’ on your bingo card for Game 1? It was mentioned in the preview that the Auburn pitching staff is “not good, but capable of a sporadic gem here and there” and that is what we got on Friday. Jocelyn Briski (15-1) and Aubie’s Ella Harrison (10-8) went toe-to-toe for seven innings. Briski scattered six singles and a walk to go with eight
strikeouts for the complete game shutout.
In the second inning, the War Tigres loaded the bases on a bloop single, a fielder’s choice that did not record an out, and a strange hit by pitch. A chopper to Brooke Wells at first base was fielded and gunned home to get the second out of the inning. After a lengthy review, the call was upheld. Briski struck out the next batter to get out of the jam. The Plainsburgers put two on base in the third but Bama turned a nifty 6-4-5 double play.
The game stayed deadlocked until the 5th when Jena Young tripled to the warning track to leadoff the frame. Starting center fielder Kristen White singled her in for the only run of the game. Young tripled to lead off the 7th inning as well, but White whiffed. Then, Alexis Pupillo sharply grounded to first base for the second out and Young was thrown out trying to take home — not a great move by Patrick Murphy with Wells on deck.
NOTES:
- The Tide had the two Young triples, a double by Wells, and five singles.
- Young also had a walk earlier in the game hitting in the eighth spot of the batting order. It was Bama’s only walk of the game.
- Audrey Vandagriff made an excellent diving catch on a ball hit to shallow left field in the 7th.
- Young had the game’s only error on a ground ball in which she threw the ball in the dirt to Wells at first base.
GAME 2: ALABAMA 4, AUBURN 0
For the second straight game, Alabama got some excellent pitching and little sluggish offense. A second inning single by an Aubie was the only hit given up by Vic Moten (15-2) in the game. The fab freshman struck out five and allowed three walks.
Jena Young stayed hot at the plate when she singled in Ambrey Taylor who led off the 2nd inning with a double.
In the 3rd, Brooke Wells cuh-rushed a two out offering dead-center over “the deepest part of the field” for a solo home run.
After four innings, Auburn brought in little used freshman Charley Butler. Alexis Pupillo doubled off her but the other Tide batters were pretty flummoxed. The Aub pitcher struck out three over two innings and was oddly replaced in the 7th with only a two run deficit. Pupillo greeted the new pitcher with a single. A throwing error and a stolen base put Bama runners at second and third. Ambrey Taylor singled in a run, but pinch runner Kinley Pate was thrown out at the plate. On that play, it appeared that Pate and the Aubie shortstop may have made contact. Similar to a play a few games ago, the assumption is Patrick Murphy thought there would be runner interference and sent the runner home. But no such call was made and she was out. Taylor took second on the play and swiped third when she noticed nobody covering the bag. She would score the final run of the game on a sharply hit ball to the pitcher that was ruled an error.
NOTES:
- The win was Patrick “MurphDawg” Murphy’s 500th SEC victory. No other SEC head softball coach has even reached 400 conference wins. His all-time SEC record is 501-205 (.710) in 28 years as the Crimson Tide’s head coach. [Side Note: he looks better with a beard.]
- Pup, Taylor, and Salen Hawkins had two hits each.
- Kristen White flirted with the first home run of her career when she sent a ball to the warning track in the 3rd inning.
- Larissa Preuitt replaced Ana Roman (0-2) in left field after two at bats and four innings. Preuitt flied out in her first at bat and reached first base on the above mentioned error the second time at the plate. However, the senior made a rookie mistake of leaving first base early. The blunder was the third out in the 7th.
- Alabama missed out on some opportunities to score. The Crimson Tide left seven runners on base, five in scoring position.
GAME 3: ALABAMA 9, AUBURN 1 (6 Inn.)
Alexis Pupillo got things going again for the Crimson Tide. A pair of walks and a sac bunt put the senior at third base and she would score on a deep foul out by Ambrey Taylor. It was Pupillo again in the 3rd when she led off the inning with a solo blast.
Not to be outdone, Brooke Wells matched Lexi’s feat two pitches later.
Jocelyn Briski had a no-hitter going through 3.1 innings when she surrendered the first Auburn run of the series on a solo homer. Taylor pushed the lead back to three when she led off the 5th frame with a four-bagger.
But that was just the beginning. Alabama would load the bases on walks and a single. Pupillo would display her unique skill of walking with the bases loaded to make the score 5-1. This was followed by Brooke Wells doing Brooke Wells things with a two-run single.
More fun in the 6th when Taylor and Jena Young hit back-to-back doubles.
An Audrey Vandagriff groundout would move Young to third and Salen Hawkins knocked her in with a sacrifice fly to left field for an 8 run lead and potential run rule enactment.
Briski (16-1) gave up a double to start the 6th but struck out two of the final three batters for the W. She gave up only three hits, whiffed nine, and did not walk a soul.
NOTES:
- Alabama burned through five barn pitchers in this game and each of them gave up at least one run. I think I saw the team mascot warming up in the bullpen at one point.
- Lauren Johnson was back in the starting lineup but failed to produce a hit or RBI in four at bats. She replaced Ana Roman in left. Larissa Preuitt, who is NOT a better fielder, replaced Lo-Jo in the field in the final inning.
- Bama collected 10 runs in this finale. However, they left 8 runners on base.
[SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: The section below is not all rainbows, lollipops, and unicorns. If we see an issue that we deem worth discussing, RBR is not going to shy away from it. That is the MO that this whole website is based on. If you want sunshine pumped up your nether regions, there are PLENTY of those people more than willing to provide that service. If you are easily triggered, stop reading now and play the above video on repeat. If you live in the real world, carry on my wayward son.]
SERIES NOTES
- It feels like we are seeing a different Patrick Murphy this season. Most obviously is that he is playing the players who are producing at the plate, regardless of seniority and popularity. But perhaps more importantly, he is not sugar-coating his feelings. When speaking in interviews, if things are not going so well, he says so. You have to think he is doing that when the cameras are off as well. The tough love approach is working so far.
- All that said, it seems like the Tide’s third base coach has been making a lot of risky decisions with runners at third. Alabama has had a good deal of runners making outs at home plate the last several weeks.
- The Tide outscored Aub 14-1 in the three game set. The hits were 28 to 10.
- The two shutouts are Alabama’s 16th and 17th shutout of the season, first and second in SEC play.
- Alabama is now 39-3 and 12-3 in conference play. The last two Bama team were 12-12 and 10-14 in the SEC.
- Vandagriff stole only her tenth base of the season. She’ll need 40 more to tie last season’s tally. On the bright side, the sophomore was 4 for 10 with hits in all three games. Moving her down in the order seems to have helped, though she is still bunting.
- Kristen White was 1 for 7. Johnson was 0-4. Roman 0-5. Preuitt 0-2. What in the flip is going on with the outfielders?
- Aub’s centerfielder is named Ma’Nia Womack. Did Mama Womack not realize her kid was an apostrophe deletion away from being “Mania”?
- There was a loud and vocal contingent of Alabama fans at this series.
- According to the broadcast on Saturday, Pupillo benches 220 and squats 405. Lawd!
WHAT THE BLEEP IS THIS??
Auburn’s Jane B. Moore Stadium has a weird little seating section off of third base that make the stadium look like an unfinished Lego set.
MVP
- YOUNG: 5 for 6, double, 2 triples, 2 runs, 2 RBI.
- TAYLOR: 4-10, 4 runs, 3 RBI, double, HR, SB
- PUPILLO: 4-9, 3 runs, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 1 DBL, 3 walks
- WELLS: 4-10, 2 runs, 4 RBI, 2 HR
- BRISKI & MOTEN: 20.0 IP, 3 WINS, TWO SHUTOUTS, 1 RUN ALLOWED
AROUND THE NATION
AllMany eyes were on Austin this weekend for Oklahoma-Texas. The Sooners took the first two games. The third game was deadlocked after seven innings. In the 8th, Okie took a one run lead in the top of the frame. The ‘Horns came back with two home runs to walk it off and salvage the series.- FSU suffered their first ACC defeat of the season (12-1) at Stanford on Friday on an improbable walk-off grand slam. The ‘Noles lost Saturday as well and have the finale this evening.
- Keagan Rothrock tossed a no-hitter in Florida’s series-opening win over South Carolina on Friday.
UPCOMING ALABAMA SCHEDULE
Alabama is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the first season of softball at the Capstone all weekend. Keep your eyes peeled for your favorite alumni.
- Tue, Apr 14 at Samford 6pm/7pm – Folks in Birmingham: your opportunity to see the Tide live.
- Fri, Apr 17 vs Kentucky 5pm/6pm
- Sat, Apr 18 vs Kentucky 1:30/2:30
- Sun, Apr 19 vs Kentucky 1:30/2:30
HOW TO WATCH… ALLEGEDLY
Game 1 is on ESPN2. The two are sent to SECN+ Streaming.
#RollTide #Team30
