Alabama Softball Slugs Way to Run-Rule Victory over South Alabama

Patrick Murphy was able to clear the benches in the Crimson Tide's final tuneup before SEC play begins with a 15-3 road win against the Jaguars.

Kali Heivilin celebrates a home run at South Alabama | Alabama Athletics

Despite putting up four runs, Alabama's bats were relatively quiet through the first three innings, scoring the first three runs without getting a hit.

But the Crimson Tide offense busted the game open in the fourth inning with three home runs and seven runs as No. 23 Alabama run-ruled South Alabama 15-3 on Tuesday night in five innings.

Alabama added on four more runs in the fifth inning for a little more breathing room for the run rule.

Alexis Pupillo got the power party started with a three-run home run, her sixth of the season. Not to be outdone, Kali Heivilin continued her hot play at the plate with her 10th home run of the year two batters later.

Brooke Ellestad followed up Heivilin's home run with one of her own to extend the Alabama lead to 11-1. Ellestad had two home runs and four RBIs over the weekend and is heating up offensively.

Freshman outfielder Audrey Vandagriff reached based three times and added three more stolen bases to her team-leading total of 34.

Jocelyn Briski got the start in the circle for Alabama and gave up one run in the first inning after a one-out triple, but that would be the only run she allowed in three innings pitched. Emily Winstead came in to pitch to start the fourth inning and gave up a leadoff home run, and then rallied to shut down the Jaguar offense.

Alea Johnson pitched in relief in the fifth inning and allowed one run on two hits.

Perhaps most importantly, Alabama played error-free defense on Tuesday night. Errors have been costly in losses for Alabama this season and something head coach Patrick Murphy wants to see cleaned up.

This was Alabama's final game before SEC play starts this weekend against Mississippi State, and Murphy was able to get a lot of players last-minute opportunities at the plate and in the field, nearly clearing the bench because of the big lead the Crimson Tide was able to build.

"Nineteen players saw time in the game, so it was a total team victory," Murphy said in a press release. "I was really pleased with Briski’s start and Pupillo really got us going with that bomb and it really opened the floodgates from there. Our hitters were very patient, laying off bad pitches and waiting for hittable ones. The defense was good and both relief pitchers I thought did well behind Briski as well.”