Alabama Bounces Back with Monday Night Shutout over Florida, 3-0

Monday, March 11

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6 p.m. CT

Alabama

20-4, 1-2

Florida

21-4, 2-1

Florida

Alabama

Alabama Bounces Back with Monday Night Shutout over Florida, 3-0

3/11/2024 9:28:00 PM | Softball

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The Crimson Tide hands the Gators just their second shutout loss of the season

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball avoided the series sweep with a 3-0 shutout over Florida Monday night at Rhoads Stadium.

After posting a combined four hits in the first two games, Alabama (20-3, 1-2 SEC) scored three runs on eight hits in Monday's finale while holding the Florida (21-4, 2-1 SEC) offense scoreless on five hits, all of which were singles. Marlie Giles drove in the first run of the game on an RBI single, part of a 2-for-2 day at the plate while fellow sophomore Kenleigh Cahalan also posted a two-hit game batting eighth. Bailey Dowling started the fourth inning with a solo home run, her second long ball of the season. In the circle, Kayla Beaver (8-1) threw the complete-game shutout, just the second shutout loss this season for the Gators and her sixth complete-game effort of the year.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy

"You have to have short term memory when it comes to softball. If you let setbacks or losses linger, that's never good. I've had to learn that the hard way over my coaching career. If I don't get over it, the players won't get over it. You just have to start fresh. I think our group realizes that the game against Alabama is circled on everyone's calendar. It doesn't matter who they are. We have to bring our best every single game because we're getting everybody else's best. [Kayla] Beaver pitched great tonight and I think a lot of people overlook her defense. She has been terrific defensively, especially tonight."

Highlights

Alabama improves to 46-42 all-time vs. Florida, including a 20-18 mark in Tuscaloosa
The Tide is now 60-26 overall on SEC opening weekend, 37-9 at home
The win avoided the series sweep, which would have been Alabama's first since 2013 and first at home since 2004
Monday marked just the second time Florida had been shut out this season
The Tide is 18-0 this season when scoring first and 12-0 when scoring in the first inning
The game was Kenleigh Cahalan's fifth multi-hit effort this season and Marlie Giles' fourth
Kayla Beaver has pitched six complete games this season and three solo shutouts

Scoring Summary

B1 | Marlie Giles drove in Jenna Johnson from second with an RBI single (1-0, 1 Out)
B4 | Bailey Dowling led off the half-inning with a solo home run (2-0, 0 Out)
B6 | Kendal Clark scored from third on a fielding error (3-0, 1 Out)

Up Next: at Florida State (Tallahassee, Fla.)

Wednesday, March 13 – 6 p.m. CT – ACC Network

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.