Alabama
Samford
Alabama Softball Shuts Out Samford, 10-0
3/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama softball shined in its season debut on the SEC Network Tuesday night at Rhoads Stadium, shutting out Samford 10-0.
Alabama (21-2) was hitless until the third inning but then went on to score four runs that inning and six in the fourth to take a 10-run lead over Samford (11-8), which was enough to earn the run-rule victory in just over 90 minutes. Five of Alabama's nine hits were extra-base hits, including a three-run triple by Demi Turner. Andrea Hawkins went 2-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored batting ninth, raising her season average to .471. Sydney Littlejohn (8-2) tallied her eighth victory in the circle, throwing a complete-game shutout with just four hits and one walk allowed. Bulldog starter Mollie Hanson (7-3) took the loss, exiting after 3.2 innings with all 10 runs being credited to her.
After two hitless innings to start the game, Chandler Dare knocked in a leadoff single in the third inning for Alabama. An RBI double by Merris Schroder put Alabama on the board and she advanced to third on a fielding error, now leading 1-0. An RBI single by Hawkins, a sacrifice fly by Peyton Grantham and an RBI double by Leona Lafaele ultimately stretched the lead to 4-0 before a fly ball eventually ended the inning.
The Tide bats were off to a hot start in the fourth inning as well, as Reagan Dykes started the inning with a leadoff double and later came around to score on an RBI single by Hawkins to make it 5-0. Later with the bases loaded, Turner roped a triple over the left-fielder's head to score three and swell the lead to 8-0. A two-run double later in the inning by Marisa Runyon pushed the lead to double digits and a 1-2-3 top of the fifth ended the game with Alabama winning via run-rule, 10-0.
Next up, Alabama opens SEC play in Baton Rouge against No. 6/4 LSU (21-2). Game one will be on Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. CT. Games two and three will be aired on the SEC Network with Jenn Hildreth and Michele Smith on the call. Game two will be on Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m. CT and game three will be on Sunday, March 13 at 2 p.m. CT.
