Alex Salter Misses Out on Pitching Perfect Game
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alex Salter wasn't even aware of it. Maybe that's a good thing.
The Crimson Tide sophomore carried a perfect game into the fifth inning of Wednesday night's non-conference game with UAB at Rhoads Stadium.
With one out in the fifth, UAB's Lilly Crowe singled past shortstop Kenleigh Cahalan to break it up.
"It doesn't bother me too much," Salter said. " had no idea I had perfect game going."
It was a much cleaner outing for Salter. She allowed three runs in two innings against Arkansas this past weekend. She also allowed five walks.
"She pitched well in that game against Arkansas," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "We told her if she eliminates those walks you will be fine."
Message received. Salter faced 16 batters and had one strikeout.
She was aided by an offense that finally got on track. Alabama scored 12 runs, more than the total runs it scored in the last four games combined.
Four players had multi-hit games, including a three-hit night from Ally Shipman. She also had two RBIs.
Kenleigh Cahalan and Bailey Dowling each had two hits with an RBI. Kali Heivilin also had two hits. She launched a solo home run in the first inning to set the tone early.
"We're coming off a weekend loss that obviously we never wanted," Heivilin said. "We just realized we should be loose, have fun. That's exactly what we brought and that helped us to succeed.
Alabama broke the game open in the second inning, scoring nine runs on seven hits, all singles.
The offensive effort was far different from the SEC series against Arkansas. The Crimson Tide managed just six total runs with 18 hits. Against UAB, Alabama scored 12 runs on 14 hits.
"I told them tonight, 'A smooth sea never makes a skilled sailor,'" Murphy said. "Sometimes you have to go through the hard stuff to get to the good stuff. It sucks at the time, but you learn about yourself as a team and what you're made of."
Alabama (23-8) is hoping the good stuff comes this weekend in an SEC road series against Tennessee.
FINAL BOX SCORE
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Top 5th
UAB
- Ball game. Salter allows just one hit through five innings. Alabama cruises to the 12-0 win
- Welp. A single to left field breaks up the perfect game.
- First batter lines out for UAB.
Bottom 4th
End 4th: Alabama 12, UAB 0
Alabama
- Taco edges Hot Sauce for the Taco/Hot Sauce race.
- Alabama goes down 1-2-3 for the first scoreless inning of the night for the Tide.
Top 4th
UAB
- That's another clean 1-2-3 inning for Salter. She's dealing tonight.
End 3rd: Alabama 12, UAB 0
Bottom 3rd
Alabama
- A double play for UAB, but M'Kay Gidley scores from third to make it 12-0.
Top 3rd
UAB
- There is an upside for UAB. At least they don't have a long bus ride home after this butt kicking.
- That's another 1-2-3 inning for Salter. Not going to jinx it, but...you all know what's going on.
Bottom 2nd
Alabama 11, UAB 0
Alabama
UAB finally gets the last out. Bama scores nine runs on seven hits.
- Sheesh. A throwing error for the third out gets past first baseman. Cahalan comes around to score. 11-0 Alabama
- UAB gets two outs but two more runs come across to make it 10-0. Second hit of the inning for Cahalan.
- It's getting ugly. Faith Hensley with a two-run single makes it an 8-0 lead. Still no outs.
- This game may not go the distance, folks. A walk brings in another run. Bama's got 10 hits so far. 6-0 Alabama
- RBI singles for Bailey Dowling and Ally Shipman make it a 5-0 lead with no outs. Bases still loaded.
- Yikes. Results aren't much better. Valbak hits Ashley Prange with the first pitch to load the bases.
- An early exit for UAB pitcher Sarah Cespedes. She's replaced by Olivia Valbak
- White comes around to score on a Kenleigh Cahalan single. 3-0 Alabama
- Kristen White leads off with an infield hit and promptly steals second. That's stolen bases No. 7 for her.
Top 2nd
UAB
- Another 1-2-3 inning for Salter. Nothing for UAB
Bottom 1st
Alabama 2, UAB 0
Alabama
- Bama leaves the bases loaded. Not what it was hoping for after starting off hot.
- I don't know what Patrick Murphy said to this team after dropping the Arkansas series, but Alabama's offense is rocking early here.
- Back-to-back hits from Ashley Prange and Bailey Dowling puts runners on first and third with one out. Ally Shipman brings in Prange with a single to left field. 2-0 Alabama
- Kali Heivilin sends a pitch over the right-field wall for her fourth homer of the year. Alabama up 1-0 early.
Top 1st
UAB
- A 1-2-3 inning for Alex Salter in the circle for Alabama.
STARTING LINEUP
