Wild Finish Caps Undefeated Weekend for Alabama Softball in Atlanta

Saturday, February 10

Atlanta, Ga.

11:30 a.m. CT

Alabama

4-0

Longwood

1-3

Alabama

Longwood

Wild Finish Caps Undefeated Weekend for Alabama Softball in Atlanta

2/10/2024 5:50:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score vs. Longwood (PDF)Box Score vs. Georgia Tech (PDF)Photo Gallery

The Crimson Tide closed its weekend with Saturday wins over Longwood and Georgia Tech

ATLANTA – Alabama softball capped an undefeated weekend at the Buzz Classic with a 7-2 win over Longwood and a clutch finish to earn a 5-1 win over tournament host Georgia Tech.

Alabama (5-0) opened the day with a 7-2 win over Longwood (1-3), including a 3-for-4 day from Abby Duchscherer at the plate with a career-best four RBIs, and multi-hit games from Kenleigh Cahalan, Bailey Dowling and Lauren Johnson. In the second game against Georgia Tech (1-3), the Tide led 2-0 and held the Yellow Jackets hitless until a sixth-inning single. Alabama added some insurance in the top of the seventh on a bases-loaded wild pitch and a two-run single from Lauren Esman to make it 5-0 heading to the bottom half.

Georgia Tech loaded the bases with nobody out and sent a deep fly ball to right field. Larissa Preuitt made a jumping catch at the wall and threw it back in, as the Tide defense tagged up the runners at second and third for what was originally called a game-ending triple play. Upon further review, the catch and out at second were upheld but the runner at third was ruled to have tagged up successfully and scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1. Now, with a runner on first and two out, Kayla Beaver (2-0) shut the door with her seventh strikeout of the game to seal the win.

Cahalan led the offense on Saturday, hitting a combined 5-for-8 on the day with three runs scored and two RBIs. Duchscherer had three hits against Longwood and another against Georgia Tech, giving her at least one hit in all five games this season. Jocelyn Briski (2-0) earned the win in relief in the opener against the Lancers, while Beaver took home the complete-game victory over the Yellow Jackets.

Highlights

Alabama is now 105-23 overall on opening weekend, losing just 5 games since 2011
The Tide improves to 6-0 all-time vs. Longwood and 14-0 against Georgia Tech
Abby Duchscherer's three-hit game vs. Longwood is the first for any Alabama player since Jenna Johnson vs. Arkansas as 2023 SEC Tournament (May 11, 2023)
Duchscherer has earned at least one hit in all five games this season, a new career-long hitting streak for the sophomore
Her four RBIs against Longwood also mark a career best
Kenleigh Cahalan had two hits against Longwood and three against Georgia Tech, giving her 13 career multi-hit games

Scoring Summary vs. Longwood (Alabama 7, Longwood 2)

T1 | Abby Duchscherer smashed a two-run homer to left center (2-0, 1 Out)
T1 | Kali Heivilin drove in Bailey Dowling with an RBI single (3-0, 2 Out)
T2 | Duchscherer added a pair with a two-run double to the gap in left (5-0, 2 Out)
B2 | A squeeze bunt drove in a run for Longwood (5-1, 1 Out)
B3 | The Lancers added another on a wild pitch (5-2, 1 Out)
T6 | Bailey Dowling drove in Jenna Johnson with an RBI single to left (6-2, 2 Out)
T7 | Kenleigh Cahalan drew a bases-loaded walk (7-2, 2 Out)

Scoring Summary vs. Georgia Tech (Alabama 5, Georgia Tech 1)

T3 | Kenleigh Cahalan roped an RBI double down the left field line (1-0, 2 Out)
T4 | Lauren Esman crushed an RBI double to the wall in center (2-0, 1 Out)
T7 | A wild pitch with the bases loaded allowed Jenna Johnson to score from third (3-0, 1 Out)
T7 | Lauren Esman hit a bases-loaded single up the middle, driving in two (5-0, 2 Out)
B7 | With the bases-loaded, the Georgia Tech runner tagged up and scored from third (5-1, 0 Out)

Up Next: Easton Bama Bash (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Friday, Feb. 16 vs. St. Thomas – 4 p.m. CT
Friday, Feb. 16 vs. Virginia – 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. St. Thomas – 11 a.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Virginia – 1:30 p.m. CT
Sunday, Feb. 18 vs. Southern Indiana – 1 p.m. CT

For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on X/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.