Softball Shuts Out Belhaven in Saturday Doubleheader
10/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala . - Alabama played its third fall opponent on Saturday, shutting out Belhaven in two games, 4-0 and 8-0. Between the two games, Chandler Dare led the Crimson Tide with four hits while Leona Lafaele, Marisa Runyon and Haylie McCleney each earned three. Alabama's three pitchers allowed just a combined four hits with 21 strikeouts and just two walks.
"All three of the pitchers did great," said Head Coach Patrick Murphy. "Any of their misses are very close, so it makes it difficult for other teams to lay off those close misses. Both catchers did a great job. Leona [Lafaele] did well in one of her first opportunities catching and Carrigan Fain has shown a lot of maturity. She had a great practice on Thursday and it's great to see her follow through.
"I thought Haylie [McCleney] did a good job batting ninth in game two and turning the lineup over. That's what we need out of that position. Chander Dare had a couple great games and Marisa Runyon did her job. We'll need a middle-of-the-lineup threat like that. It's fun to see a lot of people come through in big situations. The defense did really well too. It was a good day overall."
GAME ONE: ALABAMA 4, BELHAVEN 0
Alabama shut out Belhaven in the opening game of the doubleheader, 4-0. Alexis Osorio went the distance in the circle with just three hits allowed and 12 strikeouts. Haylie McCleney went 2-4 on the day including a standup triple, while Marisa Runyon drove in the Tide's lone earned run off a sacrifice fly that scored McCleney from third following her triple.
GAME TWO: ALABAMA 8, BELHAVEN 0 (6 INNINGS)
The Tide offense came alive in game two as Alabama shut out the Blazers, 8-0, in 6.0 innings. Leslie Jury started the game, throwing 4.0 innings of one-hit ball while Sydney Littlejohn pitched 2.0 hitless innings in relief. Demi Turner, Dare and Marisa Runyon combined for six of the Tide's 12 hits in the top of the order, with Runyon driving in three of the Tide's eight runs.
Alabama concludes its fall schedule on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 1:30 p.m. with a doubleheader against West Alabama.
