Alabama Outlasts Auburn for 11-Inning Win to Even Weekend Series

Friday, May 3

Auburn, Ala.

5 p.m. CT

Alabama

33-15, 0

Auburn

26-18-1, 0

Alabama

Auburn

Alabama Outlasts Auburn for 11-Inning Win to Even Weekend Series

5/3/2024 9:28:00 PM | Softball

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Kenleigh Cahalan comes through with the clutch two-run single in the top of the 11th

AUBURN, Ala. – It took 11 innings to decide a winner Friday night between Alabama and Auburn, with Kenleigh Cahalan coming through with the clutch two-run single in the top of the 11th to break the scoreless tie and push the Crimson Tide to the 2-0 win to even the weekend series.

Alabama (33-15, 10-13 SEC) and Auburn (26-18-1, 8-15 SEC) were locked in a scoreless pitcher's duel, with nobody moving past second base until the Tigers started to threaten in the bottom of the sixth. With runners at the corners and two out, the trailing runner was allowed to steal second to avoid the double steal and the batter was intentionally walked to load the bases. Kayla Beaver (16-8) entered to pitch in relief and struck out the batter on three pitches to get out of the jam and keep the game scoreless.

Kali Heivilin led off the top of the seventh with a walk and with a 2-0 count to Emma Broadfoot, game one winner Maddie Penta entered in relief for Auburn. Broadfoot drew a walk to put two on base and Riley Valentine ripped a single through the left side two batters later to load the bases with one out. A strikeout and lineout would squash the rally as the Crimson Tide failed to drive in a run. The Tigers couldn't walk it off in the bottom half as the two teams went to extras.

Alabama had two runners on base in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings but failed to break into the run column each time. Still 0-0 in the top of the 11th, Larissa Preuitt and Bailey Dowling were both in scoring position with two out and Cahalan pulled the second pitch of her at bat through the right side, driving in both runners on the single to give the Tide the first lead of the game at 2-0. Beaver shut the door in the bottom half, retiring the side in order to end the game.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy

"That was a great example of bend but don't break. The pitching and defense were awesome. I just felt like [Kayla] Beaver was in control and we just needed one lucky bounce or a key hit to break it open and Kenleigh Cahalan came through. I'm really proud of everybody because that was a tough game. A competitive nature came out of everyone today. They were challenged in the dugout early and I felt like both of our pitchers were really good. They were locked in and the defense was great."

Highlights

Alabama is now 52-23 all-time vs. Auburn, including a 20-11 mark on the Plains
The win breaks a three-game streak by the Tigers in the series
Friday was the longest game ever between Alabama and Auburn, beating the previous long of 9.0 innings in 1997 and 2017
It was the longest game of the season for the Tide, its longest since an 11-inning win at Texas last year (March 11, 2023)
Friday marked Alabama's fourth extra-inning game of the season, its first win in extras
Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy is now one win away from the 1,300th of his career, owning 1,271 wins with the Crimson Tide and 20 as the interim head coach at Northwest Missouri State (1995)
The second-inning double play was the Tide's 17th of the season, now just two away from cracking the single-season top 10
Kenleigh Cahalan was 3-for-6 from the leadoff spot, tying her career high for hits and increasing her team lead to 10 multi-hit games this season
Kali Heivilin's three walks is a new career high for the junior

Scoring Summary

T11 | Kenleigh Cahalan plated two with a single through the right side (2-0, 2 Out)

Up Next: at Auburn (Auburn, Ala.)

Saturday, May 4 – 11 a.m. CT – SEC Network

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