The No. 17 The Alabama softball team had a rough night in Game 1 of a three-game series with Auburn on Thursday.
The Crimson Tide was shut out for six innings until the offense erupted for three runs in the seventh. It wasn’t enough as Auburn took the 4-3 win.
Alabama will try to bounce back in Friday’s Game 2 of the regular-season series finale. First pitch is set for 5 pm and is televised by the SEC Network.
Even if Alabama (32-15, 9-13) wins Friday and Saturday’s games, it will still finish below .500 in SEC play for the first time in program history.
In the circle for Alabama is Jocelyn Briski, who has a 2.53 ERA with a 7-3 record. Auburn will counter with Shelby Lowe, who boasts an 80-4 record with a 2.82 ERA.
The big hitter in Thursday’s loss was Kali Heivilin, who had a two-run home run in the big seventh inning. Laura Esman is in the lineup after getting a pinch-hit double Friday.
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Top 7
• Pinch hitter Lauren Johnson lines out to third and Alabama blows a chance at taking the lead
• Dowling strikes out
• Valentine singles to left to load the bases with one out. Golden opportunity for Alabama to score
• Preuitt strikes out
• Runners on first and second after Broadfoot draws the walk. Well out
• With a 2-0 count to Broadfoot, Auburn calls in Penta to pitch.
• Heivilin draws and leadoff walk
End 6: Scoreless
Bottom 6
• Strikeout for Beaver and Alabama gets out of the jam
• Briski exits for Alabama and Kayla Beaver is called in to pitch.
• Intentional walk to Lech to lead the bases
• Tresvik singles and runners are on first and third with two outs. First player to reach third base for either team
• A pop up from Packer and there are two outs
• McCreary with a one-out single for Auburn
Top 6
• Kendal Clark strikes out and it’s still scoreless through 6 and a half innings
• Alabama challenges the play at first and it’s reversed. Alabama has a runner on base with two outs
• Jenna Johnson grounds out. Alabama without a hit since the third inning
• Two quick outs for Alabama.
End 5: Scoreless
Bottom 5
• A much-needed 1-2-3 inning for Briski
• Two nice defensive plays for Cahalan at shortstop. Two outs
Top 5
• Duchscherer flies out to right and Valentine is doubled up on first. Bad way to end the inning
• Duchscherer to pinch hit for Dowling
• Valentine earns a one-out walk, the first issued by Lowe today.
End 4: Scoreless
Bottom 4
• Tresvik attempts to steal third and is gunned down.
• Briski takes another shot from a batted ball. Scary stuff. She still makes the play at first for the out. She seems to be OK but she’s going to have some bruises in the morning.
• Leadoff single for Tresvik. Third time Auburn has gotten the leadoff batter on base
Top 4
• Nothing for Alabama in a 1-2-3 inning
End 3: Scoreless
Bottom 3
• Pitcher’s duel with Briski and Lowe. Auburn has two hits and Alabama has two through three innings.
• Briski gets the next two batters to line out and ground out to end the inning
•. Jenna Johnson comes close to making an amazing diving catch. Later in the at-bat, Widra hits a ball that hits Briski square in the chest. She’s safe at first and Briski seems to be OK
Top 3
• Jenna Johnson lines out to end the inning
• Cahalan with a two-out single
End 2: Scoreless
Bottom 2
• Groundout ends the inning
• Nice double play by the Alabama infield to clear the bases.
• Leadoff batter on base for the second straight inning as Wohlers singles
Top 2
• A 1-2-3 inning for Alabama
• Broadfoot flies out for the first out
End 1: Scoreless
Bottom 1
• Back-to-back strikeouts ends the inning
• Sac bunt puts Auburn runner on second with one out
• Leadoff walk starts the inning for Auburn
Top 1
• Johnson stranded on first
• Better start today for Alabama as Jenna Johnson singles to left.
• Cahalan pops up on the first pitch and we’re underway
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