Bama Central

Alabama Softball Avoids Road Sweep With 8-5 Win Over LSU

Crimson Tide left fielder Lauren Johnson matched her career-high in RBIs to end Alabama's rough series on a strong note.

Hunter De Siver

Alabama Softball vs. LSU
Alabama Softball vs. LSU / Alabama Softball's X/Twitter

No. 23 Alabama softball came into Sunday in danger of being swept by No. 7 LSU in a three-game road series. If LSU succeeded in Game 3, it would be the first time since 2013 that the Crimson Tide lost every game in a series to an SEC opponent.

But Alabama realized that this wouldn't be an option for the Tigers as the Crimson Tide won 8-5 in Baton Rouge, La. on Sunday evening.

Nevertheless, being on the wrong side of history didn't click for Alabama immediately as the Tigers got on the scoreboard immediately after a sacrifice fly in the first inning. LSU third baseman Danieca Coffey was the one to touch home plate, but she initially reached first base as the leadoff hitter due to an error by shortstop Salen Hawkins.

The main reason for Alabama's struggles in the first two games of the series came on the offensive side of the ball. The Crimson Tide scored one run between Friday and Saturday with a combined 7 of 42 slate (.167) from the batter's box.

However, Alabama's bats heated up early on Sunday after thawing out overnight. Hawkins recorded the Tide's first hit via a single in the second inning and left fielder Lauren Johnson followed it up shortly after with a single of her own to add one run to the scoreboard.

Johnson tallied another RBI in the fourth inning to give Alabama its first lead of the series and she took advantage of a fielding error in the same frame and was safe at home.

Johnson matched her career-high with four RBIs in the fifth inning after going 3-for-3 at that point as the No. 9 hitter to make the score 5-1.

Alabama's defense also played a big part in Sunday's win as Johnson and second baseman Kali Heivilin prevented a couple of game-opening moments. But the work on the mound by starting pitcher Catelyn Riley also deserves some credit. In four innings, Riley allowed just two hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Emily Winstead and Jocelyn Briski were each taken out during the first inning of Games 1-2 respectively, but despite giving up an unearned run early on Sunday, head coach Patrick Murphy believed she'd shake it off and they were both right.

Briski filled in Riley, but the comfortable 5-1 lead became a bit worrisome in the sixth inning as the Tigers added another run with two batters in scoring position and no outs. Alea Johnson took over and quickly allowed a run, but after a diving stop on the same play by Heivilin, she threw out a runner headed home and the scary frame ended a couple of batters later.

Alabama centerfielder Audrey Vandagriff hadn't recorded a hit in this series and only had two home runs coming into it. Her record-breaking steals and elite speed have kept most of her hits in the field of play, but in the seventh inning, she launched a dagger three-run shot to right center.

Yet somehow, the game wasn't over after that. LSU first baseman Tori Edwards smashed a two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh to cut it to 8-5. Tigers' McKenzie Redoutey nearly made it back-to-back home runs but Alabama right fielder Larissa Preuitt caught it at the wall and the next batter grounded out to second base to end the game.

In total, Alabama hit 11 of 31 (.355), which is a couple more than both of the first games combined.

Alabama ends the three-game series on a strong note and moves up to 28-15 (5-7) while the Tigers slide down to 34-5 (8-4).

Read More:

feed

Published
Hunter De Siver
HUNTER DE SIVER

Hunter De Siver is the lead basketball writer for BamaCentral and has covered Crimson Tide football since 2024. He previously distributed stories about the NFL and NBA for On SI and was a staff writer for Missouri Tigers On SI and Cowbell Corner. Before that, Hunter generated articles highlighting Crimson Tide products in the NFL and NBA for BamaCentral as an intern in 2022 and 2023. Hunter is a graduate from the University of Alabama, earning a degree in sports media in 2023

Home/Softball