Live Updates of No. 16 Alabama Softball's Season Opener against Villanova

Score updates and analysis as the Crimson Tide begins the year against Villanova in the Buzz Classic in Atlanta.

Alabama softball team before first game in 2026 at Buzz Classic | UA Athletics

Alabama softball is back and ready to open the season against Villanova at the Buzz Classic in Atlanta.

First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game is not streaming anywhere. It will be radio only on Catfish 100.1 or the Catfish Tuscaloosa app. BamaCentral will provide updates throughout.

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Live Updates

(latest updates at the top)

FINAL: Alabama 17, Villanova 0 (Five Innings)

In-game updates

Bottom 5- Villanova batting

• Strikeout ends it. Alabama completes the no-hitter, run-rule on opening day.

• The walk is immediately erased by a double play.

• Leadoff walk for Villanova for just its second baserunner of the day.

• Alabama just needs to get three outs without allowing 10 runs, and this game will be over after five innings.

MID 5: Alabama 17, Villanova 0

Top 5- Alabama batting

• Freshman Holly Beth Brooks strikeouts looking to strand the runner and end the inning.

• Hawkins singles to left. Young scores on the play to add on one more, but White is thrown out trying to advance to third for the second out. Alabama 17, Villanova 0

• White infield bunt single, and Alabama has runners on the corners with no outs.

• Young reaches on an error.

• Taylor joins the home run party in her first career at-bat. Alabama 16, Villanova 0

• There's going to be a lot of pinch hitters for Alabama this inning starting with freshman Ambrey Taylor.

END 4: Alabama 15, Villanova 0

Bottom 4- Villanova batting

• Three up, three down for the Wildcats in the top of the fourth. They are down to their last three outs with Alabama lead by more than seven runs heading into the fifth inning.

• There are several other defensive changes for the Tide, including Larissa Preuitt in right and Mari Hubbard at third base.

• Alabama makes a change in the circle. Sophomore Braya Hodges enters. Final line on Moten: 3 innings pitched, no hits, one walk, six strikeouts.

MID 4: Alabama 15, Villanova 0

Top 4- Alabama batting

• Griggs grounds out to the right side. Inning over, but Alabama adds four more runs with home runs from Roman and Johnson.

• Villanova will make another pitching change, and Alabama will also start making some batting changes. Freshman Gerritt Griggs makes her debut pinch hitting for Vandagriff.

• Johnson only hit one home run all of last season.

• For the third time this game, Alabama has gone back-to-back. Lauren Johnson becomes the sixth different player with a home run. She hits it all the way over the scoreboard. Alabama 15, Villanova 0

• ANOTHER home run for Alabama. This time it's freshman Ana Roman. It pushes the Tide lead to 14-0

• Giles hits another one of the top of the wall, this time for a two-out RBI double to score White. Alabama 12, Villanova 0

• White moves to third with one out on a ground ball from Pupillo.

• White steals second on the first pitch. First stolen base of the year for the Tide.

• Kristen White comes in to pinch run for Duchscherer.

• Duchscherer leads off with a hard single down the third-base line.

• 4-5-6 in the lineup due up for the Tide.

END 3: Alabama 11, Villanova 0

Bottom 3- Villanova batting

• Groundball to short ends the inning. Moten keeps Villanova off the board.

• Sac bunt moves the runner to second with two outs for the top of the order.

• One-out walk becomes the first baserunner Moten has allowed.

MID 3: Alabama 11, Villanova 0

Top 3- Alabama batting

• Nice catch in foul territory finally ends the half inning, but only after Alabama sent 14 runners to the plate, scoring 11 runs on nine hits.

• Make it FOUR home runs for Alabama. Wells joins the home run party with a solo shot over the left field wall and out of the park. Alabama 11, Villanova 0

• Villanova will make a pitching change. Kat Gallant exits, and Margaret King will replace her.

• Audrey Vandagriff knocks one over the centerfield wall for the third Alabama HR of the inning. Alabama 10, Villanova 0

• Johnson singles through the left side to bring the top of the lineup back up.

• In her second at-bat of the inning, Roman pops up to second. Two outs.

• Giles hits one off the top of the wall. Almost three straight HRs for Alabama. Still just one out in the inning. This inning is quickly spiraling for Villanova

• Back-to-back jacks. Salen Hawkins hits her first home run of the year to make it 7-0 Alabama

• GRAND SLAM ALEXIS PUPILLO. Alabama clears the bases. Alabama 6, Villanova 0

• After review, the runner at second is safe on the error. Bases loaded with one out for Pupillo.

• Duchscherer puts a ball into play on the infield, and it is bobbled at second base. The call is originally out, then safe, then out. Play is now under review. (Not gonna lie, a little confused how this is being reviewed when the game isn't even being streamed, but I digress.)

• Young draws a walk. Two on with one out.

• Kinley Pate comes in to run for Wells.

• Brooke Wells doubles into the gap in left/center, and Alabama shows off the speed right away with two runs scoring. Alabama 2, Villanova 0

• Bobbled ball at first base and infield single from Vandagriff has two on with one out for the heart of the order.

• Johnson reaches on a fielder's choice. Roman is out at second. One out for the top of the lineup.

• Freshman Ana Roman breaks through with the first hit of the season on a single through the right side.

• Roman, Johnson and Vandagriff due up for Alabama, still looking for the first hit of the game.

END 2 : Alabama 0, Villanova 0

Bottom 2- Villanova batting

Another three up, three down inning for Moten with two more strikeouts. Stays scorless in Atlanta.

MID 2: Alabama 0, Villanova 0

Top 2- Alabama batting

• Three up, three down for Alabama in the second. Tide is hitless through two.

• Pupillo, Hawkins and Giles due up for Alabama.

END 1: Alabama 0, Villanova 0

Bottom 1- Villanova batting

• Moten strikes out the side in her debut. Scoreless after one.

• First batter faced, first career strikeout for Moten. One out.

• Time for the debut of Alabama freshman pitcher Vic Moten.

MID 1: Alabama 0, Villanova 0

Top 1- Alabama batting

• Duchscherer hits a weak ground ball to the right side. Nothing doing for Alabama in the first.

• Young flies out to shallow center field. Two outs, runner on first.

• Wells draws a one-out walk for Alabama's first baserunner of the year.

• Vandagriff strikes out on three pitches to open the 2026 season.

• Vandagriff, Wells and Young to lead things off.

Pregame

• Murphy also just said, "We probably won't see Jocelyn Briski this weekend."

• During his pregame interview with CTSN, head coach Patrick Murphy says Vic Moten is "a little nervous."

• Both of Alabama's transfers, Brooke Wells and Jena Young, make the initial starting lineup.

• As expected, all-American Audrey Vandagriff is in centerfield and the leadoff spot.

• Alabama is the designated visiting team and will bat first.

Starting lineups

Starting lineups for Alabama softball vs. Villanova- Feb. 5, 2026 | Statbroadcast

🆚Villanova
⌚️2 p.m. CT
📍Atlanta, GA
📊https://t.co/ghSt1y3cvj
📻100.1 FM | https://t.co/foVuccsLeM#Team30 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/jUKtnAaZ2i

— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) February 5, 2026

• Freshman pitcher Vic Moten will be making her debut with the starting nod in the opening game of the season.

• This is the second ever meeting between the two programs. The first came in the Buzz Classic to open the 2024 season, when Kayla Beaver made her Alabama debut and threw a no-hitter.