Alabama Softball Opens April by Sweeping Aggies

An eight-run fourth inning propelled the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team to a series sweep of the Texas A&M Aggies. The Crimson Tide went on to run-rule the Aggies by a score of 14-6 in six innings. Alabama improves its record to 29-4, 9-3 in SEC play and the loss drops the Aggies to 25-8, 4-5 in SEC play.

Alabama fell behind early giving up a two-run homerun to sophomore outfielder Shaylee Ackerman in the top of the first inning. It didn't take long for Alabama to respond as its offensive leader, Bailey Hemphill crushed a pitch for a three-run homerun to put Bama back into the lead after an inning.

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Texas A&M would not go away quietly in the ballgame as the Aggies would strike again with three more runs in the third inning. Junior Haley Lee took Lexi Kilfoyl deep for a two-run homerun to retake the lead at 4-3.

Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy then decided it was time to make a change in the circle. Murphy replaced Kilfoyl with graduate student Krystal Goodman. Kilfoyl pitched 2.1 innings allowing five earned runs, striking out four batters and giving up three walks.

Alabama was able to break the game wide open thanks to an eight-run fourth inning in which the Tide faced four separate pitchers while batting around and leaving three runners on base.

The big inning was punctuated by senior Kaylee Tow's grand-slam, bringing in Hemphill, Alexis Mack and Kat Grill for the Tide.

Alabama went on to score two more runs in the fifth and the game sealing run in the sixth. Tow finished the game with five RBIs off two hits including the grand slam. She also scored two runs herself and brought in the game-clinching RBI in the sixth inning.

Additional offense for the Tide came from Alexis Mack and Savannah Woodard as both batters picked up three hits each.

Goodman picked up the win for the Crimson Tide dealing 2.1 innings allowing only two hits and two walks in her outing. Senior Sarah Cornell closed out the contest for Alabama pitchining just 1.1 innings and allowing one hit while striking out one batter.

Alabama will be on the road next as the Tide continues to navigate the SEC season. The Tide heads to Fayetteville for a Friday, Saturday, Sunday series with the Razorbacks next weekend. The Saturday game will be televised on ESPN2 and all three games can be heard on Praise 93.3.