Alabama Softball Run Rules No. 20 Louisiana 9-1

Alabama got off to a good start on its four-day stretch in Louisiana with another run-rule victory over a ranked team. This time it was a 9-1 win over No. 20 Louisiana in Lafayette Thursday night. It is the sixth run-rule victory in 10 games for the Crimson Tide so far this season.

The Crimson Tide opened the game with a bang. Kaylee Tow knocked in her first home run of the season with a two-run shot in the top of the first to give Alabama the early 2-0 lead, but the Crimson Tide really broke the game open in the third inning.

With some rainy weather, the pitchers for both teams dealt with some control issues. In the third, the Ragin' Cajun pitching staff allowed six free baserunners with walks and hit by pitches, and Lexi Kilfoyl and Jenna Johnson handled the rest with RBI hits. Freshman Dallis Goodnight also scored on a wild pitch. The Crimson Tide put up seven runs in the third to extend the lead to 9-0.

Head coach Patrick Murphy's one complaint from the past weekend of games was lack of situational hitting when his team had the bases loaded. Alabama was much better Thursday night at being patient at the plate and getting the timely hit in that third inning. Louisiana was forced to use four different pitchers in the game.

Kilfoyl got her third start in the circle on the season, with all three being against ranked teams. It was not until the fourth inning that she gave up her first run of the year on a single up the middle. She did have a season high four walks, but also struck out three Louisiana batters through the five-inning, one-run game.

The junior pitcher was also Alabama's leading hitter for the game with two hits and two RBIs. With Tow's home run in the first, she becomes the ninth different Crimson Tide player to hit a home run this season, and she also had two RBIs.

"The big hits were Tow’s home run and Kilfoyl’s double," Murphy said in a press release. "I had a feeling the third inning was our chance and we just had good at-bats that inning and throughout the game. Abby Doerr had an 0-2 count two times and drew a walk, so our at-bats are getting better as the year goes on.”

Alabama improves to 10-0 on the season and will now make the short drive from Lafayette to Youngsville to participate in the Mardi Gras Mambo. The Crimson Tide will play fives games over the next three days against all teams from the state of Louisiana and will also have their own float in a Mardi Gras parade as part of the weekend's festivities.