Alabama Completes Buzz Classic Sweep By Winning Saturday Double Header

Alabama softball (5-0) got the season started on the right foot, finishing the Buzz Classic in Atlanta with two victories on Saturday. The Crimson Tide hit six home runs on the afternoon from six different players, bringing their season total to 18, and struck out 17 opposing batters from the circle with four different pitchers.

The Crimson Tide overcame shaky starts from freshman pitchers Kaitlyn Pallozzi and Vic Moten, but both hung tough, settled in and gave Alabama strong outings in their first weekend in college softball.

Game 1: Alabama 9, Villanova 3

The Villanova Wildcats took advantage of two hit batters, a wild pitch, and a single to jump out to a 2-0 lead, but it was short-lived as Alabama's Abby Duchscherer hit a game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. Alabama starting pitcher Kaityln Pallozzi gave up a single and a double as the Wildcats retook a 3-2 lead in the third inning, but the Crimson Tide answered once again as Marlie Giles and Ana Roman hit back-to-back home runs for a 6-3 lead.

Alabama star pitcher Jocelyn Briski entered the game for her first action of the season in the fourth inning and went four scoreless innings without allowing a single hit. Briski struck out seven batters and allowed her only base runner by hitting Maddie Burrows in the fifth inning.

Salen Hawkins sacrifice flied in the fourth inning, for a run, and Audrey Vandagriff smacked the team's fourth home run of the day with a two-run bomb in the sixth to settle the score at 9-3.

The Crimson Tide is up to 16 home runs in its first four games of the 2026 season with freshman Ana Roman leading the team with three.

Game 2: Alabama 7, Georgia Tech 2

The Crimson Tide capped off the weekend with a fifth straight victory to open the year. Junior infielder Salen Hawkins stole the show in the Crimson Tide's second game as she went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and a home run (3).

Alabama opened the game with a Hawkins single and an Alexis Pupillo double to give the Crimson Tide a lead in the top of the first inning. Georgia Tech responded in the home half of the first with back-to-back solo home runs by Jayden Gailey and Gracyn Tucker off freshman starting pitcher Vic Moten. Moten responded with five shutout innings and ended with six strikeouts, five hits allowed and three walks in her third collegiate appearance.

Hawkins stepped to the plate in the third inning and smashed a two-run blast to left field, scoring Audrey Vandagriff and giving the Crimson Tide a 3-2 lead. Jena Young stepped to the plate in the fourth inning and hit a two-run blast, scoring Mari Hubbard, for her first home run of the season. Young notched her third RBI of the game in the sixth inning, scoring Larissa Preuitt with a double. Lauren Johnson tripled, scoring Young to wrap up the scoring and start the season undefeated.