Alabama Softball Wins Opening Matchup of Easton Bama Bash 6-3 over Liberty
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It took five games, but the Alabama pitching staff finally gave up some runs Friday afternoon. Despite allowing only two hits the Crimson Tide scored early and held on for a 6-3 win against Liberty in the Easton Bama Bash.
"I thought both of our pitchers did a really nice job," Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said. "A two-hitter in a college softball game nowadays is pretty good feat."
The offense got going in the first inning as the lineup batted around and converted four singles into four runs. Bailey Dowling, Kaylee Tow and Jenna Johnson all had RBIs.
"The two-out rally in the first inning was awesome. I wish we would have done a little bit more after that," Murphy said.
Sarah Cornell started in the circle for Alabama and gave up three runs, two earned, in three innings pitched. The first run for Liberty was a solo home run from Savannah Channell, which ended the season-opening scoreless streak for Alabama pitching and cut the deficit to 4-1.
Sophomore Lexi Kilfoyl came into relieve Cornell in the top of the fourth after Cornell left the bases loaded with no outs. Kilfoyl didn't give up a hit over the final four innings, but the Flames did score on a ball that slipped out of her hands as she approached the plate.
Liberty scored again on a passed ball on a squeeze bunt attempt that brought in the other Flames' run.
"Kilfoyl came in and I thought she did a nice job after that, cleaned them up," Murphy said. "A lot of great movement on her pitches, so other than those that two plays right there, it was a pretty clean game for us."
Alabama responded with a two-run single from Alexis Mack in the bottom of the fifth to go up 6-3.
"When we came in the dugout I just kept hearing, 'They score, we score,' and having that type of mentality makes it hard for another team to get any type of momentum," Tow said. "They come out and scored those two runs in the inning, and it kind of seemed like a long inning, but you shut the door on them when we come in and score two runs."
Tow led the way at the plate, going 3-for-3 including her RBI. Elissa Brown added two more hits and is now batting .667 on the year from the nine hole.
Alabama will continue the Easton Bama Bash on Saturday with games against LSU and a rematch against Liberty. The rematch will start at 1:30, and the game against the Tigers is scheduled to start shortly after at 4 p.m.
