Live Updates: Alabama Softball vs. Southern Utah

It is officially game day for No. 2 Alabama softball and Team 26. Head coach Patrick Murphy begins his 24th season as head coach of the Crimson Tide as the season gets underway at the Candrea Classic in Arizona against Southern Utah.

The game can be streamed through FloSoftball, or you can follow along here for live updates throughout. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

(most recent updates at the top)

The 2022 season is officially underway!#Team26 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/Wd0SpRBw5p
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) February 11, 2022

Live Updates

Bottom of 5th

FINAL: No. 2 Alabama 11, Southern Utah 0

For the fourth straight inning, Torrence goes three up, three down, and Alabama wins 11-0.

Reminder that in college softball, a team can run-rule the opponent if up by at least eight runs after five innings. So if Alabama can get three outs here while giving up three runs or less, the game will be over.

Top of 5th

MID 5: Alabama 11, Southern Utah 0

Freshman Aubrey Barnhart flies out to left field. Three up, three down for the Crimson Tide.

KJ Haney hits a ground ball back to the pitcher for the second out.

Freshman Jordan Stephens grounds out on the first pitch she sees.

Bottom of 4th

END 4: Alabama 11, Southern Utah 0

Souther Utah goes three up three down, and Torrence adds two more strikeouts to her total.

Patrick Murphy makes a lot of changes in the field. Freshman Jordan Stephens enters in left field for Jenna Johnson. Bailey Dowling moves to DP as Kali Heivilin slides in to shortstop. Freshman Jenna Lord enters at second base for Bloodworth, and Kat Grill enters right field for Woodard. Freshman Aubrey Barnhart comes in at first base for Tow.

Top of 4th

MID 4: Alabama 11, Southern Utah 0

Bloodworth shows she is not invincible as she is retired for the first time today on a foul out. Woodard grounds out to end the inning, but Alabama adds one with the home run from Shipman.

Prange doubles to left field and Heivilin moves to third with one out.

Doerr with a one-out infield single. She is lifted for a pinch runner for the second time which means her day is done. Murphy said on Wednesday that Doerr had recently injured her knee and would be available to hit, but not play catcher this weekend. Freshman Kali Heivilin making her Alabama debut as a pinch runner.

Ally Shipman with a leadoff home run for Alabama's fourth home run of the day. Shipman now with three RBIs. Alabama leads 11-0

Bottom of 3rd

END 3:Alabama 10, Southern Utah 0

Groundout, strikeout, groundout for the Thunderbirds in the bottom of the inning. Torrence is up to six strikeouts.

Top of 3rd

MID 3: Alabama 10, Southern Utah 0

Tow strikes out swinging and is 0-3 on the day.

Johnson is thrown out at home on a double steal attempt. Goodnight is safe at second. Now there are two outs with Tow up to bat.

Johnson hits one off the top of the wall in left field for a one-out double. Goodnight follows with a single to move Johnson to third.

Have yourself a day Megan Bloodworth. The true freshman leads off the 3rd with her second home run of the day. 10-0 Alabama

Bottom of 2nd

END 2: Alabama 9, Southern Utah 0

Torrence strikes out the side in the bottom of the 2nd.

Top of 2nd

MID 2: Alabama 9, Southern Utah 0

Doerr and Prange line out and fly out to end the inning.

In her first game back from the ACL injury, Dowling picks up where she left off before the injury. She sends a home run out to left center. Alabama now leads 9-0.

Shipman pops out to shortstop to lead off the inning.

Bottom of 1st

END 1: Alabama 8, Southern Utah 0

The inning ends with a fly out to right field.

Torrence opens the season with two straight strikeouts before giving up two-out single to Reilly Williams.

Jaala Torrence gets the start in the circle for the Crimson Tide. She had a 0.94 ERA in 10 appearances as a freshman last season with 27 strikeouts.

Top of 1st

MID 1: Alabama 8, Southern Utah 0

Alabama sends 12 batters to the plate and scores eight times highlighted by a grand slam from true freshman Megan Bloodworth. Alabama leads 8-0 after half an inning.

Tow strikes out swinging to finally end the top of the 1st.

A diving catch in foul territory by the left fielder gets the second out of the inning for the Thunderbirds.

Johnson with her second steal of the season (and inning.)

After giving up eight runs and just getting one out, Southern Utah makes a pitching change from starter Grace Owen to Keimon Winston.

Johnson singles through the left side to bring in Woodard. Alabama is now up 8-0

Johnson is back up to the plate as Alabama bats around in the first.

Savannah Woodard draws a walk on a full count and promptly steals second.

GRAND SLAM for the freshman Megan Bloodworth in her first career at-bat. Alabama leads 7-0

An RBI-single for Ohio State transfer Ashley Prange in her first Alabama at-bat. Alabama leads 3-0 with one out

Abby Doerr walks on four pitches to load the bases. M'Kay Gidley comes in to pinch run for Doerr.

Bailey Dowling hits a ground ball to third. A throwing error from the third baseman allows Shipman to advance to third and Dowling to second. Two runners on with one out.

In her first at-bat in a Crimson Tide uniform, Ally Shipman sends a double out to center to bring in two runs. Alabama 2-0

Goodnight steals second, and Tow lines out to shortstop.

Freshman Dallis Goodnight walks on five pitches, and Alabama has runners on the corners with no outs.

Jenna Johnson opens the season with a double down the left field line and steals third base on the next pitch.

Pregame Notes

Alabama will be the visiting team according to StatBroadcast and will get things going at the plate.

Sophomore Jaala Torrence gets the start in the circle to open the season. Two true freshman will be making their Crimson Tide debuts in the starting lineup: Dallis Goodnight in centerfield and Megan Bloodworth at second base. Tennessee transfer Ally Shipman gets the start behind the plate and will bat cleanup, and Ohio State transfer Ashley Prange will start at third base and bat seventh.

Starting lineup:

1. Jenna Johnson- LF

2. Dallas Goodnight- CF

3. Kaylee Tow- 1B

4. Ally Shipman- C

5. Bailey Dowling- SS

6. Abby Doerr- DP

7. Ashley Prange- 3B

8. Megan Bloodworth- 2B

9. Savannah Woodard- RF

P- Jaala Torrence