Alabama
Samford
Head Coach Patrick Murphy Earns 1,200th Win at Alabama, Defeating Samford 3-2
2/22/2023 9:38:00 PM | Softball
Murphy becomes the ninth coach to earn 1,200 wins at one Division I school
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy earned his 1,200th win as the head coach of the Crimson Tide with a 3-2 comeback victory Wednesday night against Samford at Rhoads Stadium.
Murphy becomes the ninth head coach in NCAA history to earn 1,200 wins at one Division I program and is the only coach with over 1,000 wins entirely at an SEC institution. Seventeen other head coaches have surpassed the 1,200 win mark, with 11 others doing so entirely at the Division I level.
Alabama (7-2) and Samford (2-7) were scoreless until a two-out fielding error in the top of the fourth allowed the Bulldogs to plate two unearned runs and take the first lead. The Crimson Tide got a run back in the bottom half courtesy of an RBI double from Bailey Dowling, but ultimately left the potential tying run stranded at third base. Alabama stranded two in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth but a leadoff walk to Abby Duchscherer and a single from Dowling put two on with nobody out in the sixth. Ally Shipman stepped in to pinch hit and dropped an RBI single into right to tie it at 2-2 and, three batters later, Kenleigh Cahalan sent an RBI single up the middle to give the Tide the 3-2 lead. Jaala Torrence (1-1) closed it out in the seventh, earning the win with 3.0 scoreless relief innings in the circle.
If you build it, they will come...
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) February 23, 2023
Congrats on 1,200 Murph@UACoachMurphy #RollTide pic.twitter.com/Rmmphgz6GK
From Head Coach Patrick Murphy
"To be at the same program for 27 years, it just does not happen in college athletics anymore, anywhere in any sport. To be able to be here from day one to today is just amazing. It all starts with my associate head coach Aly who has been with me for all 25 years as head coach. That's unheard of as well. The loyalty and the continuity of the coaching staff is huge. Our strength coach Michelle Diltz, this is year 18 for her. The fact that everyone knows what's going to happen with our staff and being consistent, I think it's really helped us out. Obviously, all of the athletic directors I have worked for have been terrific and supported this program from day one, so it's been a dream come true."
Highlights
- Patrick Murphy becomes the ninth head coach in NCAA history to earn 1,200 wins at one Division I program and the only one with over 1,000 wins entirely at an SEC institution
- Seventeen other head coaches have surpassed 1,200 win mark, with 11 doing so entirely at the Division I level
- Kenleigh Cahalan's go-ahead RBI single extended her hitting streak to nine games
- This was just the second time this season Alabama trailed after the fifth inning and its first win in that situation
Ken comes in CLUTCH@CahalanKenleigh
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) February 23, 2023
??SECN+ | https://t.co/slAfXi485y#Team27 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/dN1o9abukC
Scoring Summary
- T4 | A two-out fielding error plated two runs for the Bulldogs (0-2, 2 Out)
- B4 | Bailey Dowling hit an RBI double in the left field gap (1-2, 1 Out)
- B6 | Ally Shipman stepped in to pinch hit and dropped an RBI single into right (2-2, 0 Out)
- B6 | Kenleigh Cahalan sent an RBI single up the middle to give Alabama the lead (3-2, 2 Out)
Up Next: Easton Bama Bash (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
- Friday, Feb. 24 vs. Kennesaw State – 4 p.m. CT
- Friday, Feb. 24 vs. Southeastern Louisiana – 6:30 p.m. CT
- Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Indiana State – 11 a.m. CT
- Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Southeastern Louisiana – 1:30 p.m. CT
- Sunday, Feb. 26 vs. Kennesaw State – 1 p.m. CT
For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on Twitter, BamaSB on Instagram and Alabama Softball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
