No. 11 Alabama Softball Holds On for 2-1 Win Over No. 21 Arizona
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — On a day meant to celebrate her first and final season with the Crimson Tide, Kayla Beaver delivered for Alabama softball.
Outside of a solo home run in the second inning, Beaver kept Arizona off the board as No. 11 Alabama picked up its first ranked win of the season over the No. 21 Wildcats, 2-1 at Rhoads Stadium on Friday night.
"I'm one of those that I just keep rolling, and I feel like I get better as I go," Beaver said after the game. "I have to fine tune the little things and focus on those and trust my pitches a lot more. But I felt more than ready for today."
Beaver delivered this performance just one-day after pitching a complete game shutout against Northern Iowa, when she threw 117 pitches. Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy wanted to give Beaver the opportunity to start on her senior day, and she told pitching coach Lance McMahon before the game that she was ready to go.
"Having pitched seven innings yesterday, comes back against the even better lineup today," Murphy said after the game. "The solo home run, we can deal with that any time... To hold them to one run, that was big– because they've been run-ruling everybody."
However, Beaver almost didn’t get the win. She threw six innings of one-run, four-hit ball, and Alea Johnson came in for the save. Johnson struck out the first batter she faced on three pitches, but that’s when the drama started. A fly ball to right field would’ve been the second out, but the ball popped out of Larissa Preuitt’s glove for a two-base error. Johnson picked up her second strikeout for the second out.
The final out came down to a review. Arizona pinch hitter Paige Dimler hit a slow ground ball to second that Kali Heivilin bobbled. She recovered to throw out the runner at first, but it was super close. The play was called out on the field, and the call stood after review.
"First of all, Alea Johnson has ice in her veins,"Murphy said. "Can't give a good team extra outs anytime, but especially in the seventh inning of a one-run game."
Prior to the seventh inning, Alabama had a really strong night in the field with nice plays by Bailey Dowling at third, Emma Broadfoot at first and Beaver in the circle.
Alabama’s lone runs came on a two-run home run from Abby Duchscherer in the bottom of the first inning as the sophomore continued her red hot start to the season, giving the Crimson Tide the early 2-0 lead.
"That was the pitch I was looking for," Duchscherer said. "I got off the plate, I got it in my zone and executed."
The offense had the opportunity to add on more in the first with bases loaded and one out, but a strikeout and groundout ended the frame. Alabama also left the bases loaded in the third inning.
"I feel like we're nowhere near where we can be," Murphy said. "Offensively, we left way too many on base early in the game."
Alabama improves to 18-0 and will be back at Rhoads Stadium for two more games on Saturday against South Alabama and Arizona.
How it happened...
(latest updates at the top)
FINAL: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Top 7
- After review, the call stands. Alabama wins. Heivilin is probably very fortunate that the play was called out on the field.
- Dimler hits a ground ball to second that Heivilin bobbles. She throws out the runner at first according to the call on the field. Arizona is challenging the play. The lead runner came around to score. Huge review coming up here.
- Paige Dimler comes in to pinch hit for Arizona.
- Alea gets a swinging strikeout for the second out.
- Preuitt drops a ball in right field that would've been the second out. The ball fell right out of her glove. I couldn't tell whether or not she lost it in the lights. The runner reaches second base with one out for the Wildcats.
- Three straight pitches for Alea. Three straight strikes. One out.
- Alea Johnson comes in to pitch the seventh for Alabama.
END 6: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Bottom 6
- Make that three quick groundball outs. Once again, nothing doing for the Crimson Tide.
- Two quick groundball outs.
- 7-8-9 due up for Alabama, looking for its first runs since Duchscherer's first-inning home run.
MID 6: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Top 6
- A flyball to shallow left field ends the threat.
- A lengthy, 12-pitch battle with DiNardo results in a walk. Arizona has two on with two outs.
- Broadfoot handles a chopper at first to get the lead runner at second. Two outs.
- Bunt single gives Arizona a one-out baserunner.
- Dowling makes a great play at third to rob and infield single. She times her jump just right on the chopper to keep the Wildcat leadoff batter from reaching.
- Another defensive change for Alabama. Emma Broadfoot enters at first for Duchscherer.
END 5: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Bottom 5
- Giles is called out for leaving first base early. Half inning over. Alabama can't add on.
- Giles bloops an outside pitch into shallow right for a two-out single.
- Dowling waits on the changeup, but doesn't get enough on it to get it over the centerfielder's head.
- Heart of the order due up for the Crimson Tide looking to add some insurance– Dowling, Heivilin and Giles.
MID 5: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Top 5
- Quick 1-2-3 inning in the circle for Beaver for the first time since the first inning.
- Defensive change for the Crimson Tide. Larissa Preuitt enters in right field for Clark.
END 4: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Bottom 4
- A groundball to short ends the inning. Alabama can't add on to its lead.
- Cahalan with a hard two-out singe up the middle to bring up Alabama's hottest hitter.
- White, Johnson and Cahalan due up for Alabama.
MID 4: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Top 4
- Dowling charges a slow grounder to third and makes a good throw to get the final out, stranding the runner.
- Big strikeout for Beaver for the second out.
- A pinch runner comes in for DiNardo and steals second to give the Wildcats a RISP with one out.
- Long single off the base of the left/center wall. Ball bounces just right for White to get the throw in quickly and limit DiNardo to a single.
- Easy groundball to first for the first out.
END 3: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Bottom 3
- Clark goes after a pitch way out of the zone and grounds out to third for the final out. Alabama strands the bases loaded. The Tide has left a lot of traffic on the bases so far.
- Valentine walks to load the bases with two outs for Clark.
- Giles hits a ball to second base, and Pate is thrown out at home trying to score on the play. Alabama has runners on the corners with two outs.
- Heivilin lays down a sac bunt that moves both runners into scoring position with one out for Giles.
- Dowling draws a walk. Two on with nobody out for the Tide.
- Duke singles up the middle to continue her hot start to the season. With that hit, she's now hitting .436. Kinley Pate comes in to pinch run for Duchscherer.
- Duchscherer, Dowling and Heivilin due up for Alabama in the third.
MID 3: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Top 3
- Beaver eliminates the scoring threat with another ground ball for the final out, stranding the runner at third.
- Smart play by Cahalan at shortstop. She looks back the runner at third and throws out the batter at first for the second out.
- A groundball to short gets the first out, but the lead runner moves to third base.
- Leadoff double for Arizona.
END 2: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Bottom 2
- Cahalan flies out to center for a quick 1-2-3 inning at the plate for the Crimson Tide. Stoddard only needed eight pitches.
- Soft liner on the infield from Johnson goes for the second out.
- White strikes out swinging. Stoddard has struck out two of the first three batters she's faced.
- White, Johnson and Cahalan due up for Alabama in the second.
MID 2: Alabama 2, Arizona 1
Top 2
- Fly ball to shallow right field ends the half inning.
- Solo home run for Emily Schepp deep over the left field wall. Alabama 2, Arizona 1
- Fourth HR of the year for Schepp.
- Back-to-back nice plays in the circle by Beaver get the first two outs of the frame. She has defender her position well so far this weekend.
END 1: Alabama 2, Arizona 0
Alabama gets on the board with the Duchscherer HR, but the Tide has to feel like they could've done a lot more in the first inning.
Bottom 1- Alabama batting
- Clark hits a weak ground ball to end the half inning, and Stoddard is able to limit the damage.
- Valentine strikes out looking for a big second out. Not what Patrick Murphy was looking for in that scenario.
- Graduate Miranda Stoddard (2-1, 2.62 ERA) enters in the circle for the Wildcats. Riley Valentine will be the first batter she faces.
- Giles is hit by a pitch, and Alabama has the bases loaded with one out. Arizona is making a change in the circle.
- Heivilin draws a walk. Two on with one out for Alabama.
- Bailey Dowling singles up the middle, and Arizona takes a timeout in the circle.
- Duchscherer turns on the first pitch she sees and crushes it over the left-field wall for a two-out home run, her team-leading fifth of the year. Alabama 2, Arizona 0
- Cahalan flies out for the first out.
- Leadoff walk for Johnson after Silva was called for an illegal pitch on Johnson's bunt attempt earlier in the at-bat.
- Johnson, Cahalan and Duchscherer due up for the Crimson Tide to lead off the game.
MID 1: Alabama 0, Arizona 0
Top 1- Arizona batting
- And another swinging strikeout retires the side. Good start for Beaver.
- Beaver gets a swinging strikeout for the second out.
- Shockey chops one high in the air on the first pitch, and Dowling makes a good play at third to throw out the runner. One out.
Starting lineups:
*Arizona's stats aren't loading in the Statbroadcast system.
Pregame
- As the teams lineup for the national anthem, Lauren Esman is dressed in sweats. She is likely unavailable for the whole weekend.
- And Beaver is starting for the second night in a row.
- Aissa Silva (8-0, 0.87 ERA) is warming up in the bullpen for Arizona. Kayla Beaver (6-0, 0.51 ERA) threw seven innings for Alabama last night, but today is her Senior Day. She is currently throwing in the bullpen for the Crimson Tide.
- Arizona leads the all-time series against the Crimson Tide with a 14-8 advantage, but Alabama has won the previous two meetings.
- Alabama is donning the all-white uniforms tonight.
- Gray Robertson and Kaylee Tow will be on the call for SEC Network+ tonight.
- 7:09- Northern Iowa baets South Alabama, 3-2. The Alabama game will start on time.
- 7 p.m.- In the game before Alabama's, Northern Iowa currently leads South Alabama 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Alabama/Arizona game will either start at 8 p.m. or approximately 30 minutes after this game ends if it goes long.
