Alabama Softball Earns 20th Win with 10-2 Run Rule over Miami (Ohio)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama offense exploded for a season high 13 hits to combine with another solid outing from Montana Fouts to complete the sweep of the field at the Crimson Classic Sunday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium.
No. 2 Alabama beat Miami (Ohio) 10-2 in run-rule fashion behind four RBIs from Jenna Johnson and two shutdown innings from Jaala Torrence.
"Our goal today was to be done in 4.5 [innings], and so that's what we did," Johnson said.
Alabama (20-0) head coach Patrick Murphy was not pleased with his team's approach at the plate in the first matchup against the Redhawks (4-11) Saturday night with the first nine outs coming via popup and only three hits in the 4-2 win. It was less the fact that they were popups, but more the fact that they were what he called "lazy stuff."
From the very first inning on Sunday, Alabama had much better at-bats and was more aggressive in putting the ball on the ground instead of in the air. By putting the ball in play on the ground, it forced the Miami defense into several tough plays, including two errors, and the Alabama batters legged out multiple infield hits.
"We just really wanted to come out and have a good start for our pitchers and really help them out and just be on base," said outfielder Kat Grill, who finished with two hits. "Like you said, we didn't have as many hits as we would've liked earlier in the weekend, but we really wanted to turn that around and get our pitchers some help."
After going hitless on the weekend coming into Sunday's matchup, Johnson moved down in the lineup from the leadoff spot to the six-hole and delivered with the four RBIs.
"After the one game she says, ‘I'm going to be better for the team,’" Murphy said. "Softball is what they do, and not who they are. And I know they want to win like crazy, and so do I, but she took it upon herself. She worked on somethings, came early, stayed late, and then it pays off. And that's what you love to see."
Freshman Dallis Goodnight slid into the leadoff spot and went 2-3 with two infield singles and two runs scored. She is leading the team with 26 hits on the season.
"I believe that the leadoff position should be a tone-setter for the team, and this weekend, I wasn't setting the tone like I should have been in that leadoff spot," Johnson said. "So he moved me down a couple spots, but I was able to produce and come through today, and I think that's what's important. And Dallas has done a great job taking over that leadoff spot. She's been hot all weekend."
The Crimson Tide opened the game with three hits and three runs in the bottom of the first in response to Miami's first-inning home run off the bat of Karli Spaid. Her home run would be the last Miami hit until the fourth inning.
Alabama really broke things open in the second inning when it sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring five runs behind five hits and a walk.
"The biggest thing today was we came back after the young lady hit the home run," Murphy said. "It's like, OK, what are we going to do? We need to answer back, and we put three [runs] up, and then five and then two. We did our jobs as hitters today. I thought we did a much better job at swinging at hitters' pitches."
Fouts got her second start of the weekend and fourth win. She threw nearly 300 pitches over the four appearances in three days, but with Monday's game against Eastern Illinois cancelled due to inclement weather, the earliest she would have to pitch again is Friday at LSU.
With a 10-1 lead, Torrence came in to relieve Fouts in the fourth and allowed one hit and one run over two innings pitched.
"I think Montana is gaining endurance, getting there," Murphy said. "And then Jaala came in today and was much better today than she was yesterday."
Now SEC play begins for the Crimson Tide. There are still some big midweek non-conference matchups on the schedule, but Alabama will open conference play at LSU for a weekends series on Friday.
This story will be updated.
