No. 16 Alabama Softball Continues Power Surge in Friday Sweep at Buzz Classic

The Crimson Tide combined for 17 hits and 18 total runs over two games against East Carolina and Georgia Tech.

Alabama Softball Player Salen Hawkins (47) in action against Georgia Tech at Shirley Clements Mewborn Field in Atlanta, GA on Friday, Feb 6, 2026. | UA Athletics

Alabama continued its parade of power with five more home runs on Friday as part of a doubleheader sweep over East Carolina and Georgia Tech at the Buzz Classic in Atlanta. 

The No. 16 Crimson Tide run-ruled East Carolina 9-1 in five innings for the first game of the day, and then put on an impressive performance in the nightcap with a 9-0 victory over the host Yellow Jackets.

Freshman Vic Moten was excellent in her second start, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning against Georgia Tech. She did not allow any runs over six innings with seven strikeouts, and Alea Johnson came in to close out the game in the seventh. 

Marlie Giles hit her first home run of the year with a three-run blast in the seventh inning against Georgia Tech to provide even more insurance. Brooke Wells, Ana Roman, Salen Hawkins and Alexis Pupillo all repeated the feat from Friday with their second invidiual home runs of the year. Alabama now has 12 home runs on the season through three games. (The Tide only had 60 home runs in 61 games in 2025.)

Hawkins got the scoring started against Georgia Tech with a two-run home run in the second inning. Wells added on with an RBI-double in the third inning. She now has at least one RBI in every game so far this season. Pupillo's two-run home running the third inning put the Tide up 5-0. She leads Alabama with seven RBIs.

Alabama totaled 17 hits and 18 runs over the two games. In the first game against ECU, freshman Kaitlyn Pallozzi got her first collegiate start in the circle. She was a little shaky to begin with a leadoff walk followed by a single. The runner came in to score after an error and groundball for the Pirates to take the first lead at 1-0.

Pallozzi settled in after that, not allowing another hit over the next two innings before she was relieved by Johnson. She was also backed up by her offense. The Tide scored three runs in the bottom of the first on a double off the bat of Pupillo. Roman and Wells homered later in the game.

Alabama (3-0) will complete play at the Buzz Classic on Saturday against Villanova (12:30 p.m. CT) and Georgia Tech (3 p.m.)

This story will be updated.