Kenleigh Cahalan's First Career Home Run Comes in Epic Fashion
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Raise your hand if you predicted that Kenleigh Cahalan, in only her third career collegiate softball game, would hit an inside-the-park home run against Georgia Southern.
It's ok if you didn't, but the freshman from Trussville, Alabama did exactly that en route to a 13-1 win over the Eagles at home.
"It was great, Cahalan said about getting her first career home run. "I'm really excited and it was great to be out there."
It was all a part of a monstrous fourth inning that saw the Crimson Tide score nine runs. The scoring started with a throw home that went wide of the catcher, allowing Ashley Prange and Faith Hensley to score while Bailey Dowling and M'Kay Gidley advanced into scoring position. Then, with the bases loaded after Aubrey Barnhart was hit by a pitch, Jenna Johnson doubled down the left-field line to add on three more runs.
After the bases were loaded a third time, Hensley hit a sacrifice fly to right field for what was the most mundane run of the half inning. Alabama had scored in just about every way possible.
That was, until Cahalan, who flew out in her first at-bat in the frame, hit a ball to right field and the right fielder took a bad angle, allowing the ball to get past her and to the wall.
The rest was history.
"That's the one thing we didn't get to do yesterday - pass the baton down," head coach Patrick Murphy said about the bottom of the fourth. "I thought we did a much better job in that inning. It was great with the starting lineup and also three pinch-hitters."
The team found success despite poor weather conditions; it was raining for the majority of the game, to the point where the backend of the doubleheader with Lehigh had to be cancelled. Murphy gave a lot of praise to the pitchers, especially starting pitcher Alex Salter, who went three innings, struck out four and gave up one earned run.
"She is from Fort Myers, Florida. Everyday in Florida about 2 or 3 p.m. it rains," Murphy said. "I know she probably pitched with a very wet softball in her hands many, many times."
Salter said that she went into the game with a championship mindset, stating that "you choose your mental" in relation to letting the weather or other factors affect her.
With the win, Alabama softball improves to 2-1 on the season. The next game will be in Florida for the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational, where the first opponent will be the Duke Blue Devils. First pitch is scheduled for Noon CT on SEC Network.
See also: Live Updates: Alabama Softball Saturday Doubleheader
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