Alabama Softball Run-Ruled by Florida in Defensive Disaster
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — From the first inning on, Sunday afternoon was a mess for the Alabama defense.
The No. 10 Crimson Tide had two of its six errors on the day in the first on the way to a 11-2 run-rule loss to No. 13 Florida as the Gators took the series in Tuscaloosa. Five of the 11 runs were unearned.
"That was just an ugly game by us," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "I just told them that it's like every single year– I don't care what sport– every team I've followed or liked, unfortunately they all have that ugly game, and tonight was ours."
It was the most errors for Alabama in game since 2002.
Jaala Torrence got the start in the circle for the Crimson Tide and induced ground balls from Florida’s first two dynamic batters in Kendra Falby and Skylar Wallace. But Bailey Dowling bobbled both balls at third base, allowing the Gators to reach. Florida scored two unearned runs to go up 2-0, and that wouldn’t be the end of it.
Florida tacked on seven runs in the fifth inning thanks to three more errors from the Alabama defense, sending 11 batters to the plate.
Alabama’s best offensive chance came in the third inning when it had the bases loaded with no outs for the heart of the order after infield singles from Kristen White and Lauren Johnson and a walk from Jenna Johnson. Alabama scored its two runs on a fielder’s choice and groundout. No one could get a hit with a runner in scoring position.
"They need to put it in a gap, and they know that," Murphy said. "So, 3-4-5, and the only ball that left the infield was the last out. That's when we have an opportunity to do really big damage. We have to have something other than a fielder's choice...That's when we have to do damage."
Right after Alabama got back into the game with the two runs in the third to cut the deficit to one run, reliever Jocelyn Briski gave up a solo leadoff home run to Florida's Ava Brown that made it 4-2 before the Gators added seven more runs in the fifth.
Alabama (19-3, 0-2 SEC) has the opportunity to salvage one game from the series in Monday's finale at 6 p.m. against the Gators (21-3, 2-0 SEC) and Murphy wants to see a big response from his team with the week it has ahead with games against Florida State and Georgia coming up.
"The bigger thing to me is how we play tomorrow– win, lose or draw," Murphy said. "We have to have a better performance tomorrow... We can't let it linger at all."
How it happened...
(latest updates at the top)
FINAL: Florida 11, Alabama 2 (Five Innings)
Bottom 5- Alabama
- Dowling flies out to left field. Ballgame.
- Giles grounds out on the first pitch, and Alabama is down to its final out.
- Duchscherer draws one-out walk. Kinley Pate comes in to run for Duchscherer.
- Lauren Johnson grounds out on the first pitch.
- Alabama needs at least two runs this inning to extend the game.
MID 5: Florida 11, Alabama 2
Top 5- Florida
- A ball to Cahalan mercifully ends the half inning after the Gators send 11 batters to the plate and score seven runs in the fifth.
- Lance McMahon calls a timeout in the circle with Alabama now trailing by nine runs.
- RBI-double for Wallace to centerfield. Florida 11, Alabama 2
- Falby singles to left field, and another Florida run scores. Florida 10, Alabama 2
- Gators are now in run-rule territory
- Jenna Johnson makes a diving catch in foul territory for the second out, but Brown comes in to score on the sac fly. Florida 9, Alabama 2
- This is getting painful. A ground ball to Heivilin should've been the final out of the inning. Instead she bobbles the ball and makes a bad throw. Alabama's fifth and sixth error of the day. The batter advances to second, and the runner on base reaches third.
- Alex Salter comes in to relieve Briski.
- Brown singles up the middle to score Kistler. Florida 8, Alabama 2
- Kistler hits a groundball to second. Heivilin tries to get the runner at home and has an errant throw. Both Florida runners come in to score, and Kistler stands on second with one out. Florida 7, Alabama 2
- Alabama's defense is really letting down its pitchers today. Four total errors, and Heivilin wouldn't have even had to go home if Valentine hadn't allowed the passed ball.
- Passed ball by Valentine moves both runners into scoring position.
- Otis walks, and Florida has two on with one out.
- Goddard pops up on the first pitch, and Briski needed that easy out.
- Erickson lines one over Cahalan's head, and Wallace flashes her speed to score from second. RBI for Erickson. Florida extends its lead to 5-2
- Leadoff double up the middle for Wallace.
END 4: Florida 4, Alabama 2
Bottom 4- Alabama
- Johnson chases strike three, and Alabama can't get a two-rally going. Side retired.
- Two-out infield single for White to bring up the top of the order.
- Valentine strikes out for the second straight time. She's now up to 14 Ks on the season.
- Cahalan lines out to almost the exact same spot in left/center that she did her first at-bat. One out.
- Cahalan, Valentine and White due up for Alabama
MID 4: Florida 4, Alabama 2
Top 4- Florida
- Briski bounces back from the home run with a ground out and two strikeouts.
- Ava Brown crushes a leadoff home run over the left field wall, and Florida immediately gets one of its runs back. Florida 4, Alabama 2
END 3: Florida 3, Alabama 2
- Alabama finally gets some hits and runs up on the board, but has to feel like it could've gotten a little more. Tide had bases loaded with no outs, and no one could get a hit.
Bottom 3- Alabama
- Heivilin flies out to right field, and Alabama strands two runners.
- Runners on second and third with two outs for Heivilin.
- Dowling hits one to shortstop and is retired, but another run comes in to score. Florida 3, Alabama 2
- Brown makes a nice play in the circle on a ground ball to get the lead runner out at home. Bases loaded, one out.
- Duchscherer hits a ground ball to second. Lauren stalls the second baseman enough that the throw to first is late and also avoids the tag. White comes in to score from third, and Alabama still has the bases loaded with no outs. Florida 3, Alabama 1
- After a super quick and clear review, Lauren is safe.
- Bunt single from Lauren loads the bases with no outs. Play is under review.
- Jenna battles back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk. Two on, nobody out for Alabama.
- Bunt single for White to lead off the inning for the Crimson Tide's first hit.
- 9-1-2 due up for Alabama, still looking for its first hit of the game.
MID 3: Florida 3, Alabama 0
- Florida tacks one more with the RBI-single from Wallace after the error from Dowling.
Top 3- Florida
- Kistler grounds out, and Briski strands the runners.
- Passed ball moves both runners up. Florida has two in scoring position with two outs for Kistler.
- Briski picks up her first strikeout for out No. 2
- Cahalan gets the lead runner at third on a ground ball to short. One out, runners on first and second
- Briski walks the first batter she faces. Two on with nobody out for Florida.
- Alabama will make a change in the circle. Jocelyn Briski enters for Torrence. This is Briski's first appearance since Feb. 17 vs. Virginia.
- Wallace singles up the middle for an RBI. Florida leads 3-0
- Falby hits another one hard at Dowling. She bobbles the ball and airmails the throw for her third error of the game. Falby reaches second on the wild throw.
- Top of the lineup due up for the Gators.
END 2: Florida 2, Alabama 0
Bottom 2- Alabama
- Valentine strikes out, her team-leading 13th strikeout. Inning over.
- Falby was shaded perfectly and gets to Cahalan's liner in plenty of time for the second out.
- Diving catch by Falby in center robs Heivlin of a leadoff hit.
- Heivilin, Cahalan and Valentine due up for Alabama.
MID 2: Florida 2, Alabama 0
Top 2- Florida
- A popup behind home plate retires the site. Quick 1-2-3 inning in the circle for Torrence, which is what she needed after how the first inning went.
- Infield popup for the first out. The next batter for the Gators ground out on the first pitch.
END 1: Florida 2, Alabama 0
Bottom 1- Alabama
- Soft liner off the bat of Dowling retires the side. Alabama leaves two stranded.
- Giles is HBP, and Alabama has two on with two outs for Dowling.
- Two-out walk for Duchscherer gives Alabama its first baserunner.
- Jenna Johnson, Lauren Johnson and Abby Duchscherer due up for Alabama
MID 1: Florida 2, Alabama 0
- Jaala Torrence was pounding the strike zone, but her defense couldn't back her up. Two errors by Dowling lead to two Florida runs.
Top 1- Florida
- Diving stop by Heivilin at second to get the final out.
- Two-out single for Otis.
- Wallace comes in to score on a wild pitch. 2-0 Florida, two outs
- A groundball to shortstop results in a double play, but a Florida runner also comes across to score to give the Gators the early 1-0 lead
- A single into shallow left field loads the bases with nobody out.
- A ball hit right at Dowling is an opportunity for a double play. Instead, she bobbles it again, and Wallace reaches to give the Gators two on with nobody out.
- After a 14-pitch at-bat, Falby reaches on an error by Bailey Dowling at third.
- First pitch from Jaala Torrence is a called strike, and this game is underway.
Starting Lineups
Pre-game
- Lauren Esman started as the DH yesterday. She's not in the starting lineup today and has a wrap on her left shoulder. From what I understand, a player wearing this type of wrap does not mean that they're unavailable to play.
- Alabama is wearing the all-crimson uniforms today. The Gators are donning the white jerseys with blue pants.
- 30 minutes before first pitch, the Brickyard is already really packed with people.
- With Beaver starting the first game, it is assumed senior Jaala Torrence will get the start for Alabama in the circle in Game 2. She is the only Alabama pitcher that has been warming up in the bullpen so far under the watchful eye of pitching coach Lance McMahon.
