Efficiency in Circle, at Plate Leads to 8-0 Run Rule for No. 7 Alabama over UAB

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— It is nearly impossible to be more efficient than Jocelyn Briski and Alabama softball were in Tuesday's win over UAB at Rhoads Stadium.

Briski and freshman reliever Kaitlyn Pallozzi combined to throw 57 pitches and 48 of them were strikes as the No. 7 Crimson Tide run-ruled UAB, 8-0, in five innings. From first pitch to final out, the game only took an hour and 15 minutes.

Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said Briski is still on a pitch count as she works her way back from a leg injury. He has seen her settling back into her role over the last few games.

"We were thinking maybe three innings, and then when she hardly threw any pitches, she got another one," Murphy explained. "The other night at Florida State, it was just amazing to watch. And she threw good pitches today, they were moving. Almost every pitch that Lance called, she hit what she was supposed to, just very efficient."

Making just the second start of her career, freshman Ambrey Taylor provided the hit that sealed the run rule with a 2-RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning to score Jena Young and Mari Hubbard.

"That was the biggest hit of her career so far," Murphy said after the game. "With two outs, I went up, and I said, 'I'm sending Mari, so just get it in the gap, and you can end the game right now, and we'll go celebrate with you."

Taylor did exactly that, putting the ball in the gap in center field. After a quick first inning at the plate, Lauren Johnson got the scoring started for the Crimson Tide with a two-out, 2-RBI double in the bottom of the second inning. Salen Hawkins busted the game open with a 3-run home run in the bottom of the third inning.

It was Hawkins fourth home run of the season and 30th total for the team through 14 games.

"I just was looking for my pitch, trying a new type of batting stance and being strong with my hands," Hawkins said about her home-run at-bat. "Just hoping that I hit the ball well, strike it where I see it, not overthinking it."

Alabama (14-0) handled business against UAB (7-8) after needing a late-inning comeback to beat Dartmouth last time out.

"The thing that we've said forever is, 'The best way to respect an opponent is to get after them,'" Murphy said. "Because if you go through the motions against anybody in any sport, the other team's going to see that, and they're going to be like, 'Well, they're disrespecting us. They're not playing their hardest.' And then that's when something bad happens, and they get excited, and they get momentum, and their pitcher on the mound start to feel like an all-American. That's when upsets happen.

"So you respect the heck out of your opponent, and you do what you need to do."

Alabama will have one more season of non-conference play starting on Friday against St. Thomas at 4 p.m.