Tide Softball Takes Two Games Friday in Birmingham over UAB and Western Carolina

Friday, February 23

Birmingham, Ala.

3:45 p.m. CT

Alabama

12-0

UAB

5-7

Alabama

UAB

Jenna Johnson (88) celebrates while rounding first base after a home run against UAB (Feb. 23, 2024)

Tide Softball Takes Two Games Friday in Birmingham over UAB and Western Carolina

2/23/2024 9:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score vs. UAB (PDF)Box Score vs. WCU (PDF)Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Alabama posts the run-rule shutout over UAB, 8-0, and defeats Western Carolina, 4-1

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama softball opened action at the Green & Gold Classic on Friday with a pair of wins, defeating tournament host UAB, 8-0, in five innings before beating Western Carolina, 4-1.

Alabama (13-0) started off the day with a bang, scoring eight runs in the first inning against UAB (5-7), including Jenna Johnson's first home run of the season. With the score the same in the bottom of the fourth, the Blazers drew three walks to load the bases with nobody out, but the Crimson Tide erased the threat with a strikeout and 1-2-3 double play. With Alex Salter in relief in the circle in the bottom of the fifth, a 1-4-3 double play ultimately ended the ballgame and secured the run-rule shutout.

In game two against Western Carolina (2-3), a pair of singles from Bailey Dowling and Lauren Johnson drove in three runs before the Catamounts got one back off a sac fly RBI in the top of the fourth. A Marlie Giles RBI single added some insurance in the fifth inning but Alea Johnson pitched 2.0 shutout relief innings to close the door and earn her first save of the season.

Eight Tide players drove in at least one RBI between the two games, with Jenna Johnson leading the pack with three off her first inning home run against UAB. Kenleigh Cahalan was 3-for-6 on the day with four others earning two hits. In the circle, Kayla Beaver (4-0) took home the win against the Blazers while Jaala Torrence (5-0) got the win against the Catamounts and Alea Johnson earned the save.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy

"It was a good day all around for us. The first inning against UAB was huge for us. Getting 13 to the plate and scoring eight runs on seven hits was just a great start to the day. The defense and the pitching did the rest for us. We scratched a few runs across in the second game but both Jaala [Torrence] and Alea [Johnson] gave us a terrific pitching performance."

Highlights

Alabama has scored first every game so far this year, doing so eight times in the first inning
The win over UAB marked the Tide's fifth shutout and fourth run-rule win
Jenna and Lauren Johnson each extended their current reached base streaks to nine games, while Riley Valentine improved hers to eight
The eight runs scored in the first inning against UAB is tied for the most in an inning for the Tide this season, previously scoring eight in the fifth inning against Longwood on Feb. 9 in Atlanta
Kenleigh Cahalan went 2-for-3 against the Blazers, marking her third multi-hit game of the season and the 14th of her career
Jenna Johnson's home run vs. UAB gave her a season-high three RBIs
Lauren Johnson's 2-for-3 day with two RBIs marked her third multi-hit game and her first multi-RBI game
Marlie Giles was 2-for-3 with an RBI against the Catamounts, her first multi-hit game of the season and the second of her career
Alabama pitching allowed just one run on four hits between the two games

Scoring Summary: Alabama 8, UAB 0 (5 Inn.)

T1 | Jenna Johnson tagged up at third and scored on a sac fly RBI (1-0, 1 Out)
T1 | Emma Broadfoot drove in Abby Duchscherer with an RBI single (2-0, 2 Out)
T1 | A Riley Valentine single to left scored two (4-0, 2 Out)
T1 | Larissa Preuitt drove in Valentine with an RBI single to left (5-0, 2 Out)
T1 | Jenna Johnson blasted a three-run home run down the left field line (8-0, 2 Out)

Scoring Summary: Alabama 4, Western Carolina 1

B2 | Bailey Dowling bounced an RBI single off the third base bag (1-0, 0 Out)
B2 | Lauren Johnson drove in two with a single to center field (3-0, 2 Out)
T4 | Western Carolina got on the board with a sac fly RBI (3-1, 1 Out)
B5 | Marlie Giles poked an RBI single up the middle (4-1, 2 Out)

Up Next: Green & Gold Classic (Birmingham, Ala.)

Saturday, Feb. 24 vs. Bradley – 3:45 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 24 vs. UNA – 6 p.m. CT
Sunday, Feb. 25 at UAB – 11 a.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.