re: Bama Softball 39-20 (10-14) (2023-24)

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Alabama Softball@AlabamaSB·20m
WEDNESDAY GAME POSTPONED

Due to projected inclement weather, Wednesday's game at Jacksonville State has been postponed...the teams will look to reschedule it later this season

Alabama will be back in action Thursday night at home against UNI at 6 p.m. CT!

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A first inning RBI groundout was the entire offensive output for either team in a Thursday night pitcher's duel between Alabama and Northern Iowa, with Kayla Beaver and the Crimson Tide defense keeping the Panthers out of the run column for the 1-0 win.

Alabama (17-0) took the lead in the first inning over Northern Iowa (8-4) on a bases-loaded groundout as Jenna Johnson scored from third. The 1-0 score held the rest of the way behind solid defense and a complete game shutout from Kayla Beaver (6-0), striking out nine in her fourth complete game of the season and her second shutout. Of the season-high 117 pitches she threw, 75 went for strikes.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy
"Kayla [Beaver] was extremely determined, gritty and resilient tonight. I know she felt that she didn't get a lot of calls out there, but sometimes you have to deal with that. She did and she pitched her butt off. Northern Iowa is a very good team. I think all four teams that are playing in this tournament this weekend will be in the NCAA Tournament. When it came down to it, Beaver made the pitches when she had to and we made a key play early in the game when Emma [Broadfoot] cut off the girl at home plate. That was a big out and she made another really nice play later in the game to get the lead runner out at second. There was some great defense behind her, but Beaver made the pitches when she had to."

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In its first ranked matchup of the season, No. 10 Alabama came out victorious over No. 19 Arizona, 2-1, Friday night under the lights at Rhoads Stadium.

Alabama (18-0) took the first lead of the game with a first inning two-run home run from Abby Duchscherer before Arizona (16-2) got on the board in the next half-inning with a solo homer. The Tide loaded the bases in the third inning but could not add to its lead and the Wildcats left a combined four runners on base through the sixth inning, as a solid start from Kayla Beaver (7-0) and lockdown defense in the field kept the score at 2-1 heading to the seventh. Sophomore Alea Johnson entered in the save situation, striking out the first batter before a fielding error allowed the potential tying run to reach second base with one out. A strikeout went for out number two and a groundout was called out, reviewed and upheld as Alabama held on for the one-run win.

Duchscherer's home run was part of a 2-for-3 day at the plate, increasing her team-leading hit total to 24 and marking her sixth multi-hit game of the season. Jenna Johnson led off the game with a walk, extending her reached-base streak to a career-best 14 games. After throwing a complete-game shutout on Thursday, Beaver threw 6.0 innings to get the win on Friday, allowing just one run on four hits. Alea Johnson struck out a pair and stranded the potential tying run in scoring position in the seventh, earning her second save of the season.


From Head Coach Patrick Murphy
"Alea Johnson has ice in her veins. That seventh inning was incredible to see, but we can't give a good team extra outs at any time, especially not in the seventh inning of a one-run game. I thought our defense on the infield was outstanding. Bailey Dowling made several really good plays against some of the fastest players in the country and Kayla Beaver was even better today than she was yesterday. Offensively, we left too many runners on base, but Abby Duchscherer's home run was an absolute moonshot."

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The Tide loaded the bases in the third inning but could not add to its lead

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