Brett Greenberg
The Tuscaloosa News
No. 3-ranked Alabama softball is 14-0 after a weekend sweep of the Easton Crimson Classic tournament field featuring Memphis, UNC and Troy.
On Friday night, the Crimson Tide beat Memphis 5-1 and 8-3 behind a three-run birthday bomb by Kaylee Tow and a shutdown Jaala Torrence relief outing.
Alabama faced UNC on Saturday afternoon, winning game one 2-0 behind a no-hitter by Lexi Kilfoyl. The Crimson Tide used a four-run fourth inning to beat UNC 4-0 in game two.
Alabama wrapped up the Easton Crimson Classic beating Troy 2-0.
"It's great to play three good teams in a row," said Alabama coach Patrick Murphy. "That is probably one of the better Troy teams we've faced. UNC is a regional team and Memphis is a good team too."
Here are three things we learned:
More of the same in the circle, another no-no
It has become repetitive, but the pitching staff is a gauntlet for opposing teams. Kilfoyl and Montana Fouts continued to do their thing, but it was Torrence and Krystal Goodman who took advantage of opportunities in the circle this weekend.
The rotation gave up four runs and combined for 47 strikeouts.
“If you can go 0-2 or 1-2 (in the count), the at-bat needs to be done by that fourth pitch,” said Murphy. “At that point, it becomes a cat-and-mouse game for the hitters.”
On Friday night, Fouts struck out 11 and gave up three earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. On Saturday afternoon, she struck out 12 in a complete-game shutout.
“Montana’s riseball was jumping like crazy,” said Murphy. “When it’s coming in so fast, it looks so good and then all of a sudden it pops up and you’re under it as a hitter.”
Torrence dominated the Memphis batters in 2 2/3 relief innings, striking out five, on Friday night.
Senior Krystal Goodman pitched a complete game in game two Friday.
“That was one of Krystal’s best games she’s thrown at Alabama,” said Murphy. “No walks, two Ks and a complete game is great for her. She worked all offseason long with coach
Steph (Stephanie VanBrakle Prothro) to eliminate walks.”
In game one Saturday, Kilfoyl pitched a complete game no-hitter, striking out eight retiring her last 18 batters. She followed up Saturday's performance with nine strikeouts in a complete-game shutout.
The no-hitter is the first of Kilfoyl’s career, the 37th in program history and the second of the season.
"Throwing back-to-back days and seven innings in each start is not the easiest thing on my body," said Kilfoyl. "I wasn't able to use my speed as much (Sunday) so I put a lot of pressure on the hitters with my spin."
Flexing a deep dugout
On Friday night, Murphy used 15 different players at the plate and eight got hits.
“Kyra (Lockhart), Abby (Doerr) and Taylor (Clark) all got some more at-bats,” said Murphy. “Everyone got some action tonight, which is a good thing.”
Freshman Kat Grill reached base three times in as many at-bats and scored a run. Savannah Woodard, who came in with 10 at-bats, came through with an RBI. In the first game, junior Kayla Davis, who entered the weekend with three plate appearances, went 1-for-3. Maddie Morgan had two RBIs in the game one Friday win.
“(Kayla) Davis hit the ball hard," said Murphy. “(Kat) Grill was on base three times in the nine-hole, she’s turning the lineup over, and for her to do that as a freshman is especially good to see.”
Taylor Clark got her first hit of the season, Woodard and Grill each scored a run and Maddie Morgan contributed a hit on Saturday as well.
“I don’t care who's in the lineup,” said Murphy. “We all need to have those quality at-bats.”
Dealing with injuries
In the preseason media press conference, Murphy talked about how this year's team needs to be versatile and ready for anything.
Fourteen games into the season and the Crimson Tide has seen two of its outfielders fall to injury.
Senior KB Sides and sophomore Jenna Johnson both were out of the lineup this weekend. Johnson got hurt in the weekday game against UAB while Sides got injured in a game against LSU last Saturday.
Both will be sidelined for a couple of weeks.
Davis, Grill and Woodard have all seen time in the duo's absence.
"We're going to continue to do what we need to do," said Murphy. "That's been the name of the game for our program for a long, long time."
What’s next
Alabama will play SEC rival Mississippi State on Wednesday night at Rhoads Stadium.
The Crimson Tide will host Kent State, UNI and South Alabama next weekend in the Easton T-Town Showdown.
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