After Cold Start, Alabama Softball Warms Up at Bama Bash

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- It was cold Friday night at Rhoads Stadium, and we’re not just talking about the weather. The No. 21 Alabama softball team opened the Easton Bama Bash with a split, dropping the first game 2-1 to Virginia Tech and taking the nightcap, 9-1, against Southern Utah in six innings.

With temperatures in the mid 30s, scoring was at a premium in the first Crimson Tide home game of the season. Alabama plated just one run on six hits and left five runners on base in the loss to Virginia Tech. The Crimson Tide scored its lone run in the sixth inning.

“If we had played the first, second and third innings like we did the sixth and seventh innings of the first game it would have been a different story,” Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said. “We just needed to have some better at-bats.”

Alabama had runners on first and second in the seventh with one out but could not bring in the tying run. Jocelyn Briskie pitched four innings and gave up three hits to take the loss. Catelyn Riley allowed three hits in the final three innings.

Alabama’s bats warmed up in the second game, banging out 10 hits. The Tide struck first against Southern Utah courtesy of a solo home run from Kali Heivilin in the second inning. It’s her fourth homer in the past six games.

“It’s crazy, because I was talking to my dad the other day, and every home run I’ve had this year has been with two strikes,” Heivilin said. “When I get two strikes, I just get into the mindset of putting the ball in play. I think that’s what went through my head.”

Arianna Ramirez answered for Southern Utah with a solo home run in the fourth.

The Crimson Tide took Alea Johnson out of the circle later in the fourth after loading the bases with two outs. Reliever Emily Winstead got a strikeout to get Bama out of the jam to keep it tied at 1-1.

Kennedy Marceaux broke the game open with two outs in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run homer to make it a 4-1 Crimson Tide lead. It’s her second home run of the season.

“For Kennedy to come in with that big hit, as a freshman, I knew we were going to start a run of some sort,” Heivilin said. “I knew the pitcher was going to get rattled and it just takes on hit. The fact a freshman did that is all about confidence.”

It was a big moment for Kendal Clark, who had a two-run, pinch-hit single in the seventh. It was her first at-bat of the season since breaking her thumb a few weeks ago. Bama scored five runs in the sixth, including a walk-off single from Abby Duchscherer.

“I love the way we finished,” Murphy said. “If you have the opportunity to walk it off, do it.”

Winstead got the win, pitching 3 1/3 innings and giving up just one hit.

The Crimson Tide faces Drake on Saturday at 11 a.m.