Alabama Softball Takes Series Win Over Arkansas

Newcomers Lexi Kilfoyl and Alexis Mack help Team 24 win rubber game

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In the rubber game of its first Southeastern Conference series of 2020, Alabama coach Patrick Murphy saw his Team 24 run-rule Arkansas at Rhoads Stadium for a second straight day. The final Sunday was 9-1

Starting in the circle for a second straight day, true freshman Kilfoyl threw six innings, allowed one run on four hits, walked two and struck out two. She got the win and is now 6-4 on the season.

"She really pitched great after the first inning, really settled down," Murphy said. "She pitched really well."

Kilfoyl pitched out of a bases-loaded no-out situation in the first inning by inducing a line drive double play turned by shortstop Skylar Wallace and third baseman Maddie Morgan. That was followed by a pop up to second baseman Savannah Woodard.

"That [double play] was probably the biggest play of the game," Murphy said.

Kilfoyl added, "I went out there confident in all my stuff and trusting my defense. That was a big inning. We had bases loaded. That double play really helped me out. It stopped runs from coming in. Good defense means  a lot. 

"I really went out there with a positive mindset."

Autumn Storms (10-3) handcuffed Alabama during Friday’s 1-0 Razorbacks win, but this time ended up getting the loss after yielding seven runs 9two earned) and seven hits.

The No. 9/13 Crimson Tide (14-8, 2-1 SEC) was led offensively by graduate transfer Alexis Mack, who tallied a career high three RBIs on 3-for-4 hitting including a bases-clearing triple in the third. 

Also driving in runs were Bailey Hemphill, KB Sides (2-3 hitting), Woodard and pinch-hitter Karla Hice, who invoked the run with an RBI-hit for a second straight day.

The schedule shifts out of conference play briefly with the Crimson Tide hosting its third home tournament of the season. Alabama’s first opponent (weather permitting) during the four day affair is BYU on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT. Other participants include Texas, Troy and Bryant.