Alabama
15-6
UAB
9-11
Late Runs Push Softball to 6-3 Win Sunday Over UAB
3/2/2025 4:57:00 PM | Softball
Alabama broke the tie in the fifth inning and added some insurance in the sixth
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball tallied its ninth straight victory Sunday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium, defeating the UAB Blazers 6-3 to close out action at the T-Mobile Crimson Classic.
Alabama (15-6) trailed early after UAB (9-11) put up three runs in the opening half-inning. The Crimson Tide knotted it up at 3-3 in the bottom of the second on a pair of hits and a bases-loaded walk. With the score still tied in the bottom of the fifth, a leadoff double from Abby Duchscherer set up an RBI groundout two batters later to give Alabama its first lead of the game at 4-3. Alexis Pupillo added some insurance runs in the sixth with a two-run home run to help secure what ended up as a 6-3 victory.
Audrey Vandagriff led the Tide at the plate with a 3-for-4 day at the top of the order, including a ground-rule double and a pair of stolen bases. Abby Duchscherer was 2-for-4, marking her fifth multi-hit effort in the last six games, and Pupillo's two-run home run improves her team-leading season RBI total to 21. Four pitchers saw time in the circle, with Jocelyn Briski (4-5) ultimately getting the win in relief and Alea Johnson throwing back-to-back strikeouts to close out the game for her first save of the season.
FROM HEAD COACH PATRICK MURPHY
"I'll take all five games this weekend. Today was ugly at times. We just have to be cleaner on defense. We gave out too many freebies. I was really pleased with us coming back after the first inning. Emily [Winstead] did a good job of putting zeros on the board and giving us a chance to win. [Jocelyn] Briski and Alea [Johnson] were great in relief."
HIGHLIGHTS
- Alabama improves to 35-0 all-time vs. UAB
- Sunday's game marked the seventh time this season the Tide has won a game in which the opponent scored first
- Audrey Vandagriff's 3-for-4 day was her third three-hit game of the season and her team-leading eighth multi-hit game
- With two stolen bases, Vandagriff has at least one in 15 of the Tide's 21 games this season, including five games with two or more
- Abby Duchscherer's fifth-inning double improves her team lead in the category to six
- With three RBIs today, Alexis Pupillo leads the team with 21 this season and six multi-RBI games
SCORING SUMMARY
- T1 | A fielding error on a forceout attempt led to an unearned run for UAB (0-1, 1 Out)
- T1 | The Blazers added two more on a two-run single (0-3, 1 Out)
- B2 | Kristen White beat out an infield single to drive in a run (1-3, 2 Out)
- B2 | Audrey Vandagriff dove in a run on a ground rule double (2-3, 2 Out)
- B2 | Alexis Pupillo drew a bases-loaded walk (3-3, 2 Out)
- B5 | An RBI groundout scored Kinley Pate from third (4-3, 1 Out)
- B6 | Alexis Pupillo blasted a two-run home run to center (6-3, 1 Out)
T-MOBILE CRIMSON CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM HONOREES
UP NEXT: AT SAMFORD (BIRMINGHAM, ALA.)
- Tuesday, March 4 – 6 p.m. CT
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Briski, Jocelyn (4-5)
L: Tait Davidson (5-4)
S: Johnson, Alea (1)
Batting:
2B: Bella Wiggins 1
RBI: Hannah Miles 2
SH: Hannah Dorsett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hannah Dorsett 1 ; Hope Tucker 1 ; Lindsey Smith 1
Batting:
2B: Vandagriff, Audrey 1 ; Duchscherer, Abby 1
HR: Pupillo, Alexis 1
RBI: Vandagriff, Audrey 1 ; Pupillo, Alexis 3 ; Ellestad, Brooke 1 ; White, Kristen 1
SH: Preuitt, Larissa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vandagriff, Audrey 1 ; Pupillo, Alexis 1 ; Pate, Kinley 1 ; Heivilin, Kali 1 ; Valentine, Riley 1 ; White, Kristen 1
SB: Vandagriff, Audrey 2 ; Preuitt, Larissa 1 ; Hawkins, Salen 1
HBP: Preuitt, Larissa 1 ; Marceaux, Kennedy 1 ; Valentine, Riley 1
