Alabama Softball Walks Off UCF in Extras
Alabama softball was scoreless through the first three innings when Patrick Murphy warned viewers during a mid-game broadcast interview not to change the channel because the Crimson Tide was about to score.
Murphy made the right call. Starting with a two-run home run from Kali Heivilin, Alabama scored five runs with two outs in the fourth inning to take its first lead of the game over UCF
And the Alabama head coach made the right call again in the bottom of the eighth, calling on freshman Kristen White to pinch hit with the winning runner 60 feet away.
White chopped one just over the UCF pitcher's glove to bring in Jenna Johnson from third, and the Crimson Tide beat UCF 6-5 in the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational Friday afternoon.
Alabama faced a 4-0 deficit heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Jaala Torrence got off to a solid start in the circle, retiring the first eight batters she faced. But then the Knights' 9-hole hitter launched her first career hit for a home run to put UCF up 1-0. They would tack on one more in the third.
After UCF led off the fourth inning with a home run, Alabama brought in Alex Salter for her first appearance of the week. She gave up another run on a mental miscue by Heivilin at shortstop that put UCF up by four runs.
Thanks to the Heivilin home run and a two-RBI hit by Ally Shipman, Alabama put up five runs in the fourth. But after Salter gave the lead right back in the fifth on a solo home run, Montana Fouts made her third appearance in three days to try and close out the game.
Fouts was perfect in relief. In 3.2 innings, she did not allow a hit and had seven strikeouts, including striking out the side in the eighth inning. She kept the Knights scorless over the final three frames, setting up the walk-off hit by White.
Because it was a tournament setting, the international tiebreaker rules were in effect, and Alabama started the eighth inning with a runner on second. She moved to third on a sac fly and came in to score on the game-winning hit from White.
Alabama improves to 4-2 and will have a quick turnaround, facing Indiana in Clearwater at approximately 5 p.m. Saturday.
