Live Updates: No. 17 Alabama Softball vs. No. 3 Tennessee

Patrick Murphy was a lonely guy at third base Friday.

The Crimson Tide head coach had just one Crimson Tide player make to him at third base in Friday's series opener with No. 3 Tennessee.

That tends to happen when the offense gets just three hits. It was a brutal night for Alabama in a 5-0 loss to Tennessee. It's the fifth time this season the Crimson Tide's been shut out.

The issue is the same as it's always been this season—timely hitting, and the lack of it.

Twice Alabama (31-13, 8-11 SEC) had two runners in scoring position with one or no outs and still came away with nothing to show for it. The Crimson Tide left seven runners on base.

"We had two runners on with no outs and I thought we were going to do something," Murphy said. "The offense just stalled."

Meanwhile, Tennessee (36-8, 15-4) sprayed hits all over the park with three from Zaida Puni, including a two-run home run in the top of the seventh for some insurance runs. It was her 12th homer of the season.

Kayla Beaver gave up a run in the first inning but kept the Vols at bay over the next three innings. Tennessee went up 3-0 with a two-run fifth inning, thanks in part to an Alabama fielding error. Alabama had two of those.

"We have to play clean, it's is simple as that," Murphy said.

Beaver pitched six innings, allowed three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Jaala Torrence gave up the homer to Puni.

It was a dismal night for the Alabama offense. Bailey Dowling, Kristen White and Kali Heivilin had the three singles, and that was it. Tennessee pitcher Payton Gottshall got the complete-game win, recording four strikeouts and two walks.

It wasn't all Gottshall that did the damage. Tennessee's defense took a few extra base hits thanks to speed.

"Center field and left field stole three hits from us with diving catches," Murphy said. "Just have to tip your hat to them."

Alabama takes the field against the Vols on Saturday at 6 p.m. for Game 2 of the series.

"We have not reached our peak yet," Murphy said. "Nobody gives up, nobody points fingers. You keep moving forward and you have a growth mindset and try to improve. We're still trying to climb forward."

GAME RECAP

FINAL: Tennessee 5, Alabama 0
Bottom 7
• Gottshall gets Cahalan to ground out and Tennessee wins the series opener. Bama shut out for the fifth time this season.
• Speedster Kristen White gets on with a bunt single with one out

Middle 7: Tennessee 5, Alabama 0
Top 7
• Zaida Puni blasts her 12th home run of the year to center field. Tennessee now up 5-0.
• Milloy gets a leadoff double. Great diving catch attempt from Lauren Johnson in center field.
• Jaala Torrence in the circle for Alabama. Kayla Beaver goes six innings, allows three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.

End 6: Tennessee 3, Alabama 0
Bottom 6
• Pannell makes quick work of Alabama for a 1-2-3 inning. Tennessee outhitting Alabama 8-2.

Top 6
• Bama gets out of the inning without any further damage despite allowing two hits and an error.
• Wild play. Bailey Dowling throws the ball away at first base and Pannell is tagged out at home trying to score from first. Tennessee calls for a review and the call is upheld.
• Nugent leads off the inning with a single.

End 5: Tennessee 3, Alabama 0
Bottom 5
• Alabama leaves a runner on base (its sixth of the night).

Midle 5: Tennessee 3, Alabama 0
Top 5
• Vols get two runs on three hits. This might be too big of a deficit for Alabama to overcome with how well Payton Gottshall is pitching.
• Gibson singles to right field to bring in another Vols run. Tennessee 3-0.
• Fly out puts Tennessee's Millroy at third with two outs.
• Tennessee runner on third called out for interference and is out. One out with a runner on second. Big break for Bama since Valentine and Bailey Dowling could not make the play on the foul ball.
• Milloy gets an infield single, but a fielding error allows Koutsoyanopulos to score. Tennessee up 2-0.
• Mealer follows with a walk. Alabama in trouble with runners on first and second with the top of the lineup coming up and no outs.
• Koutsoyanopulos gets a double to the right-center gap to lead off the inning.

End 4: Tennessee 1, Alabama 0
Bottom 4
• Pop up ends the inning and Alabama leaves two runners on base.
• Alabama has something cooking again with a walk by Emma Broadfoot. Two runners on base with two out.
• Bailey Dowling reaches on a fielding error. One on, one out for Alabama

Top 4
• Taylor Pannell gets a one-out single but is left on base and Tennessee comes up empty.

End 3: Tennessee 1, Alabama 0
Bottom 3
• Clark strikes out. It's that kind of a night for Bama.
• Two outs but now runners on second and third for Kendal Clark.
• Lauren Johnson gets the walk and Alabama has runners on first and second with no outs. Crowd starting to get fired up.
• Kali Heivilin leads off the inning with a single up the middle. It's Bama's second hit of the game.

Top 3
• Zaidi Puni gets another hit but she's left stranded. She has both Vol hits.

End 2: Tennessee 1, Alabama 0
Bottom 2
• Alabama leaves Dowling stranded and comes away empty.
• Bailey Dowling with a one-out single for Alabama's first hit.

Top 2
• A nice 1-2-3 inning for Beaver.

End 1: Tennessee 1, Alabama 0
Bottom 1
• Nothing for Alabama after two flyouts and a strikeout.

 Mid 1: Tennessee 1, Alabama 0
Top 1
• Beaver gets two strikeouts to stop the damage.
• Tennessee strikes first with a leadoff walk, a single and then an sac fly to make it 1-0 with one out.

Tennessee Lineup
CF Kiki Milloy
DP Zaida Puni
3B McKenna Gibson
LF Rylie West
C Sophia Nugent
RF Taylor Pannell
2B Destiny Rodriguez
G. Koutsoyanopulos
SS Laura Mealer
P Payton Gottshall

Alabama Lineup
SS Kenleigh Cahalan
LF Jenna Johnson
RF Kendal Clark
DP Aby Duschscherer
3B Bailey Dowling
C Riley Valentine
1B Emma Broadfoot
2B Kali Heivilin
CF Lauren Johnson
P Kayla Beaver

Inside the Series 

Overall vs. Tennessee: 40-30 

In Tuscaloosa: 21-8 | In Knoxville: 13-16 | At Neutral Sites: 6-6 

Current Streak: Tennessee +3 

Last Meeting: June 1, 2023 - Oklahoma City, Okla. - L, 5-10 (WCWS) 

Last Meeting in Tuscaloosa: May 14, 2021 - W, 6-5 (SEC Tournament)