Marlie Giles, Catelyn Riley Blast Alabama Softball Over Michigan State, 6-2

No. 11 Alabama softball took down Michigan State 6-2 on Friday afternoon. This was the Crimson Tide's second game of a doubleheader in the Candrea Classic in Arizona as head coach Patrick Murphy and company previously defeated Washington 5-1.

Alabama was led by the freshmen and incoming transfers against the Huskies, but the win over the Spartans featured a mix of big plays from the old and new.

Alabama captain and catcher Marlie Giles got the scoreboard running with a booming two-out solo home run to left field in the first inning. Michigan State centerfielder and leadoff hitter Sydney Doloszycki evened up the score at one apiece after an RBI single in the third inning, but the Spartans became cold offensively.

Alabama's defense has started this season the way it finished in 2024 as the ball rarely left the infield. Ole Miss transfer pitcher Catelyn Riley was a big reason for this as she finished the game allowing one run on six hits, a walk and a strikeout with nine groundouts and six fly-outs.

Riley's pitching performance rubbed off onto her bat in the fourth inning as she broke the tie with a sacrifice fly. Freshman Mari Hubbard and Northern Iowa transfer Alexis Pupillo tallied RBIs against Washington and they did so once again this afternoon with a sacrifice groundout and single respectively to increase the lead to 4-1.

Immediately after Pupillo's hit down the right side, Giles came up to the plate and logged an RBI double to left center. Each of Pupillo and Giles' big plays came against a pitcher Faith Guidry, who had just come into the game for freshman starter Jacey Schuler. The Crimson Tide certainly gave these two a "Welcome to the SEC" moment.

Riley already has experience in the SEC after three years at Ole Miss, and the Rebels' numbers offensively exceeded the Crimson Tide's in most stat categories. In addition to Riley's sacrifice fly, she blasted a solo shot to center field in the sixth inning to give Alabama a very comfortable 6-1 lead.

Pitchers who rake👍

📺FloSports | https://t.co/SVqv6HHv45 #Team29 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/GLIzEh86Rz
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) February 7, 2025

Emily Winstead came in to quickly close the game for the Crimson Tide but allowed a home run to Hannah Greer with one out. However, Winstead struck out the next batter and the final one grounded out to third base.

Alabama starts the season 2-0 but will have another doubleheader on Saturday against Washington at 10:30 a.m. CT and then the Crimson Tide faces No. 17 Arizona in a ranked matchup at 6 p.m. Murphy and company will finish the Candrea Classic with a game against Western Michigan on Sunday morning.

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