Bats Go Ice Cold, No. 10 Alabama Softball Falls to No. 13 Florida, 2-0
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – On a warm early March afternoon, Alabama softball was frozen.
On Saturday, No. 10 Alabama fell to No. 13 Florida 2-0, marking the second loss in three games for the Crimson Tide.
It was a brutal day for Patrick Murphy’s offense, as Alabama only mustered one hit facing Keagan Rothrock in the circle.
Rothrock, who holds a 0.67 ERA on the year, was superb – striking out three Crimson Tide hitters amidst a complete game shutout.
"Today, the wind was weird," Murphy said. "Straight across. Blowing out straight to right. Anything you hit over here to left, it was just like steel curtain once you got passed the roof of the stadium. Just got knocked down. I think Jenna [Johnson] might've had a home run, Bailey Dowling hit one hard, Abby Duchscherer smoked one to center, they just made good plays."
The deciding blow for the Crimson Tide came in the top of the second inning when first baseman Ava Brown delivered a bases-clearing single for the Gators, giving them a 2-0 advantage that would hold throughout the game’s entirety.
Despite the loss, Alabama pitcher Kayla Beaver posted another solid performance, tossing seven innings of three hit, two run, and eight strikeout ball.
"Kayla did fine," Murphy said. "They did their damage in one inning. Two unearned runs, then they got the two hits when they needed it."
After another disappointing performance, the Crimson Tide will now attempt to claw their way back in the three-game set against the Gators, with two more matchups coming on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. CT and Monday at 6:00 p.m. CT.
How It Happened...
FINAL: No. 13 Florida 2, No. 10 Alabama 0.
Final stats courtesy of Statbroadcast.com
Bottom Seventh - Alabama Batting:
- Johnson flies out to center. Game concludes.
- Heivilin reaches on a fielder's choice. Giles out at second.
- Cahalan flies out to left field. One out, one on for Bailey Dowling.
- Marlie Giles walks.
Top Seventh - Florida Batting:
- Falby pops out to short. Inning concludes.
- Barnard strikes out swinging.
- Goelz grounds out to second for the first out of the inning.
Bottom Sixth - Alabama Batting:
- Duchscherer flies out to left. Inning concludes.
- Preuitt's bunt attempt is unsuccessful. Two outs.
- Johnson flies out to third. One out.
Top Sixth - Florida Batting:
- Kowalewski grounds out to first. Inning concludes.
- Walsh walks. Two on, two outs for Ariel Kowalewski.
- Kitsler strikes out looking.
- Erickson singled to center.
- Otis strikes out looking.
Bottom Fifth - Alabama Batting:
- Johnson gunned down at second trying to steal. Johnson couldn't even slide, as the throw was so far ahead of her attempt. Inning concludes.
- Broadfoot pops out to third. Two outs, one on for Jenna Johnson.
- Johnson rips one through the right side of the infield for a hit. One out, one on for Kristen White. First hit of the game for Alabama.
- Heivilin strikes out looking for the first out of the inning. Lauren Johnson coming up to the plate.
Top Fifth - Florida Batting:
- Wallaces strikes out swinging. Beaver roars and Rhoads follows suit.
- Falby grounds out to short. Two down for former Crimson Tide shortstop Skylar Wallace.
- Williams goes down looking. Fifth strikeout of the day for Beaver and the first out of the inning.
Bottom Fourth - Alabama Batting:
- Dowling flies out to center. Inning concludes.
- Cahalan pops out to short. Two outs.
- Giles hit by a pitch inside. One on, one out for Cahalan.
- Duchscherer robbed of a hit in center. One out now for Marlie Giles.
Top Fourth - Florida Batting:
- Kowalewski grounds out to first. Two outs with nobody on now for Brown, who is responsible for both Gator runs.
- Diving catch by Lauren Johnson in right saves a hit. One out now for Kowalewski.
Bottom Third - Alabama Batting:
- Esman strikes out swinging. Inning concludes.
- Johnson hits a hard lineout to short for the second out of the inning. Esman coming up with nobody on.
- White lines out to third for the first out of the inning.
Top Third - Florida Batting:
- Goddard goes down swinging. Gamble pays off for Patrick Murphy.
- Alabama intentionally walks Erickson. Goddard coming up now with two on and two outs.
- Otis grounds out to Cahalan. One on, two outs fro Erickson.
- Wallace walks. One on, one out for Otis.
- Falby grounds out to Beaver in the circle. One out.
Bottom Second - Alabama Batting:
- Johnson strikes out looking. She thought it hit her. Ruled a backwards K instead. Inning concludes.
- Heivilin walks. Two out, one on for Lauren Johnson.
- Dowling hits a hard lineout to left field. Two down for Kali Heivilin.
- Cahalan flies out to second base.
Top Second - Florida Batting:
- Williams strikes out looking. Damage done by the Gators here in the second.
- Brown clears the bases with a single to right. T2: Florida 2, Alabama 0.
- Kowalewski hits a rocket, but it's caught by Beaver. Two on, two out for Ava Brown. Pivotal at-bat.
- Walsh ripes a double to right-center. Erickson advances to third. Two on, one out for Kowalewski.
- Goddard goes down swinging. One out, one on for Walsh.
- Erickson reaches on fielding error by Cahalan.
Bottom First- Alabama Batting:
- Giles pops up to the catcher. Nothing happening for the Crimson Tide despite an early base runner.
- Duchscherer pops out to third. Two down.
- Esman walks.
- Johnson flies out to left. Her struggles continue.
Top First - Florida Batting:
- Otis strikes out looking. Good frame for Beaver.
- Wallace grounds out to Cahalan. Two down.
- Falby grounds out to Beaver. One out.
Pregame:
- Starting Lineups:
Lineups courtesy of StatBroadcast.com
- First pitch is slated for 2:00 p.m. CT.
How to Watch: No. 10 Alabama vs. No. 13 Florida
Who: Alabama (19-1) vs. Florida (19-3)
When:
- Saturday, March 9- 2 p.m. CT
- Sunday, March 10- 5 p.m. CT
- Monday, March 11- 6 p.m. CT
Where: Rhoads Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
TV: Saturday on SEC Network+, Sunday and Monday on SEC Network (Mark Neely, Michele Smith on the call)
Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network on 97.5 FM in Tuscaloosa
Series history: Alabama leads 44-41
Last meeting: The two teams did not ever play in 2023. Alabama won the last regular season series in Gainesville in 2022, taking two of three from the Gators.
Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide won three of its four games in the Crimson Classic, including a pair of ranked wins over Arizona. However, the team also only scored four total runs in those four games and suffered its first loss of the season against South Alabama.
Last time out, Florida: The Gators went 4-1 in the Judy Garman Classic in Fullerton, California, including a shutout win over ranked UCLA. But the trip ended on a sour note with a run-rule 10-2 loss to Michigan.
Alabama leaders:
- Batting average: Lauren Johnson- .417
- Home runs: Abby Duchscherer- 5
- RBIs: Abby Duchscherer- 22
- ERA: Alea Johnson- 0.28
Florida leaders:
- Batting average: Kendra Falby- .480
- Home runs: Skylar Wallace and Reagan Walsh- 6
- RBIs: Jocelyn Erickson- 34
- ERA: Keagan Rothrock- 0.67
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