TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball needed just five innings to win its series opener against Ole Miss Thursday night, winning 8-0 in the run-rule shutout.
Alabama (40-7, 16-6 SEC) threatened immediately in the bottom of the first, loading the bases against Ole Miss (34-17, 12-10 SEC) when a single to right field from Savannah Woodard scored two to give the Crimson Tide the early lead. Still up 2-0 in the third, Alabama batted around the order with five RBIs on six hits to take a seven-run lead. Still at 7-0 with two in scoring position and one out in the bottom of the fifth, Maddie Morgan was intentionally walked to load the bases for Elissa Brown who ended the game with an RBI single to center field.
All nine Crimson Tide starters earned a hit in the win, including multi-hit performances from Woodard, Alexis Mack, Bailey Hemphill and Kaylee Tow. Woodard drove in three of Alabama’s eight RBIs, giving her seven in her last three games. Montana Fouts (18-3) held the Rebels hitless through 3.1 innings, only allowing two hits in the five-inning shutout with eight strikeouts.
FROM HEAD COACH PATRICK MURPHY
“This was one of our most complete wins of the year. Everybody in the lineup got a hit and we only struck out once while earning three walks. We didn’t commit an error. Montana threw a two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts. I am so proud of my group and the way they have preserved through this entire year. It was a great win and a great way to start out the series.”
HIGHLIGHTS
- Alabama is now 61-6 all-time vs. Ole Miss, including a 31-2 mark in Tuscaloosa
- Since the game two loss to Florida on April 17, the Tide has won eight straight including seven over ranked opponents
- Alabama is 29-4 at home this year, 7-3 at home in SEC play
- The win was the Tide’s sixth in an SEC series opener this season
- Alabama is 33-2 when scoring first this season and 21-1 when scoring in first inning
- The Tide remains undefeated at 21-0 when scoring six or more runs, including 11 run-rule victories
- Bailey Hemphill has reached base safely in 10 straight games, batting 9-for-20 (.450) with 14 walks during that stretch for a .667 on base percentage
- Kaylee Tow now boasts a team-leading 16 multi-hit games this season, including three of her last four
SCORING SUMMARY
- B1 | With the bases loaded, Savannah Woodard hit a single to right field to drive in two (2-0, 2 Out)
- B3 | Kaylee Tow singled through the left side to score Alexis Mack from third (3-0, 0 Out)
- B3 | Bailey Hemphill scored from third on an RBI groundout (4-0, 2 Out)
- B3 | Woodard pulled a single into shallow left to drive in a run (5-0, 2 Out)
- B3 | Maddie Morgan tacked on two more with a two-run single to the gap in right field (7-0, 2 Out)
- B5 | A bases-loaded single from Elissa Brown capped the run rule (8-0, 1 Out)
UP NEXT – ALABAMA VS. OLE MISS (TUSCALOOSA, ALA.)
- Friday, May 7 – 6 p.m. CT
- Saturday, May 8 – 11 a.m. CT (SEC Network)
For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on 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.
