Alabama
#11 Washington
Alabama Softball Opens Super Regional With Extra Inning Walk-Off
5/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama softball needed eight innings to finish its opening game at the 2016 NCAA Super Regional round against Washington, with Demi Turner hitting a walk-off RBI single to cap the 2-1 win. The game was the first extra-inning game of the season for Alabama and its first at home since defeating Nebraska in the 2014 Super Regional round on May 22, 2014.
"That was a great game," head coach Patrick Murphy said. "They came prepared and they are really well-coached. Hopefully we can get it and do it again tomorrow. I knew somebody would come through. We had a couple of opportunities earlier in the game to get the ball out of the infield and I thought eventually something would go through."
Alabama (50-12) and Washington (39-14) left plenty of scoring opportunities stranded on base throughout the game, leaving a combined 21 runners on base. The Huskies took the first lead of the game in the second inning before the Tide came back and tied it in the fourth and won it in the eighth. Turner drove in both of the team's runs with a bases-loaded walk in the fourth and the infield RBI single in the eighth.
"It was awesome," said Turner when reflecting on her return after suffering an injury earlier this season. "This whole time the team has been picking me up. That I could do this for our team, I was so happy."
Tide starter Alexis Osorio (18-6) threw a career-high 156 pitches in the eight-inning victory, fanning 13 batters with just one unearned run allowed on four hits. Osorio has still not allowed an earned run in 24.2 innings pitched so far in the NCAA Tournament. Washington starter Madi Shreyer took a no-decision, tossing 3.0 innings, while reliever Taran Alvelo (18-6) took the loss with 4.0 relief innings behind her.
With a runner at first and one out in the top of the second, Washington's Jennie McNeill reached on an infield single but an errant throw on the play allowed the leading runner to score and McNeill to move to second as the Huskies took the first lead of the game, 1-0. A pair of strikeouts ended the half-inning and limited the damage to just one run.
Alabama was held hitless until the bottom of the third when Kallie Case led off the inning with a single down the right field line, turning it back to the top of the order. A force out at second on the next play sent her back to the dugout with Haylie McCleney now at first on the fielder's choice. After stealing second base, a single through the left side by Chandler Dare put runners at the corners with one out for Alabama. A double play courtesy of runner interference on the next play ended the inning as Alabama was again held scoreless.
A hit-by-pitch and base hit put two on for Alabama to lead off the bottom of the fourth, forcing Washington to turn to its bullpen with freshman hurler Alvelo entering the circle. A bunt single by Andrea Hawkins loaded the bases and a bases-loaded walk to Turner tied the game at 1-1. A lineout and a double play ended the inning and kept the score knotted up heading to the fifth.
The first two batters in the top of the fifth reached base safely for Washington on a walk and fielding error and were then sacrificed into scoring position before another walk loaded the bases with one out. A strikeout and a fly ball would get Alabama out of the bases-loaded jam and keep it a 1-1 game. Alabama would put two on base in the bottom-half of the inning, but another double play ended the inning as the Tide could not take the lead.
The score remained tied heading to the bottom of the seventh and Sydney Booker led off the inning with a single and was moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt as the potential game-winning run. An intentional walk to McCleney put two on base and a groundout moved the runners into scoring position before a popup in foul territory ended the inning and sent the teams to extra innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, a pair of walks put two on and a failed force out attempt at third base on a bunt by Hawkins loaded the bases with nobody out. On the first pitch of her at-bat, Turner ripped a hard-hit ball back to the pitcher and it caromed off the fielder, allowing the runner at third to score on the walk-off RBI single.
Game two of the best-of-three series is set for a 4:30 p.m. CT start on Saturday, May 28 live on ESPN. If necessary, a third game will be played at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
