Pitching Dominates Crimson Classic as Alabama Softball Completes Doubleheader, Weekend Sweep

The Alabama pitching staff has not allowed a run in six straight games and only gave up two hits in Sunday's doubleheader sweep over Longwood and Mercer.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — If you're a fan of dominant pitching, you were in for a treat at Rhoads Stadium this weekend. The Alabama pitching staff did not allow a single run in five games highlighted by Montana Fouts' perfect game against Longwood Sunday afternoon. 

After Fouts' perfect game, Alex Salter threw a two-hit shutout to beat Mercer 8-0 to close out the Crimson Classic with a perfect 5-0 record. Alabama did not have to make a single call to the bullpen all weekend. 

"When you have a circle drawn around your position, that's a pretty important position," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said after the doubleheader. "And you saw it this weekend, all the way around. All of our pitchers look really really good.”

Since Alabama lost to Kennesaw State last Sunday, the pitching staff has not allowed a run in six straight games. Murphy said the pitchers had a heart-to-heart with pitching coach Lance McMahon Tuesday. 

"They make our job look easy, and they’ve been incredible," third baseman Ashley Prange said about the pitchers. "They’ve just straight up dominated, so it’s been really fun to play behind.”

Prange was pretty dominate herself at the plate. Over Alabama's five games on the weekend, she hit .461 with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs. She has already matched all of last year's home run total with eight. 

It was a good weekend overall to be a fan of offense has well. The Crimson Tide averaged 7.4 runs per game and had three run-rule victories, including both games on Sunday.

Jordan Stephens had the walk-off hit in game one, and Prange homered in both games. Jenna Johnson also put up a two-run home run in game two. 

With the perfect weekend, Alabama improves to 17-3 on the season. 

"I was hoping it would be a good bounce back because I told you guys in the middle of the week, I can't stand losing at home," Murphy said. "We hit better. We hit better with runners in scoring position. We played really good defense I thought. So it was a much better [weekend] overall.”

How it happened...

(latest updates at the top)

Game 2: Alabama vs. Mercer

FINAL SCORE: Alabama 8, Mercer 0 (FIVE INNINGS)

Bottom 5

• A wild pitch ends it. Alabamas wins 8-0. 

• Johnson walks to load the bases for Heivilin. 

• Duchscherer chops one through the left side. Two on with one out for Johnson. The winning run moves into scoring position. 

• One-out walk for Stephens. 

• Alabama needs just one run in the fifth to walk this off run-rule style. 

Top 5

MID 5: Alabama 7, Mercer 0

• A groundout ends the half inning. 

• Giles throws out a runner at second, but the play is under review. After review, the play stands. Two outs. 

• Leadoff single for Mercer. 

• Murph makes several changes in the field for the fifth. Marlie Giles comes in at catcher, and Abby Duchscherer comes in at 1B.

Bottom 4

END 4: Alabama 7, Mercer 0

• A groundout ends the inning, but Alabama adds four runs in the fourth. 

• Prange does it again. She sends it over the left field wall for her second home run of the day and eighth of the season. Alabama 7, Mercer 0
• She ties her home run total from all of last season just 20 games into the season. 

• You don't see this very often. Cahalan flies out to centerfield, but aggressive base running from Heivilin under the direction of Murphy scores all the way from second on the sac fly. Alabama 6, Mercer 0

• Four-pitch walk for Heivilin. Still no outs in the inning. Heivilin steals second. 

• Johnson launches her second home run of the season over the left field wall. Alabama 5, Mercer 0

• Leadoff walk for Broadfoot. It's Broadfoot's 10th walk of the season.

Top 4

MID 4: Alabama 3, Mercer 0

• A groundout ends the half inning. Nothing comes of the base hit.

• Hedgecock singles through the right side for the first hit allowed by an Alabama pitcher today. 

• Broadfoot saves Cahalan from another error. The first baseman jumps up to reign in a high throw and gets the second out of the inning. 

Bottom 3

END 3: Alabama 3, Mercer 0

• Third RBI-double of the inning, this time from Dowling. Alabama 3, Mercer 0
• Fourth straight game with an RBI for Dowling. She's driven in at least one run in six of her last seven games. 

• Prange moves to third with two outs on a groundout from Shipman.

• An double from Prange scores Cahalan and pushes the Alabama lead to 2-0.
• That's Prange's team-leading 22nd RBI. 

• RBI-double from Cahalan drives in Heivilin. Alabama takes the 1-0 lead. 

• Heivilin steals second with one out, Cahalan at the plate. 

• Leadoff single for Heivilin, just her second hit of the weekend.  

Top 3

MID 3: Alabama 0, Mercer 0

• Three up, three down for Salter in the third. 

Bottom 2

END 2: Alabama 0, Mercer 0

• Alabama can't take advantage of the error. Still hitless and scoreless through two.

• Broadfoot reaches on an error with two outs.

• The Mercer leftfielder makes a diving stop to rob Dowling of a hit. 

Top 2

MID 2: Alabama 0, Mercer 0

• Prange corrals a hard-hit ball at third to end the half inning.

• An error by Cahalan at short gives the Bears their first baserunner of the game.

Bottom 1- Alabama batting

END 1: Alabama 0, Mercer 0

• Nothing doing for Alabama in the first. 

• Cahalan is erased trying to steal second on a perfect throw by the Mercer catcher. 

• Leadoff walk for Cahalan. 

• Same three to leadoff for Alabama as the last game: Cahalan, Prange and Shipman.

Top 1- Mercer batting

MID 1: Alabama 0, Mercer 0

• Salter needs only seven pitches to retire the side in the first. 

• First pitch from Salter is a swinging strike, and this game is underway. 

Pregame

• Former Alabama pitcher Courtney Gettins is an assistant coach for Mercer. She gets a standing ovation from the Rhoads crowd before the game and is presented with flowers by Patrick Murphy, Montana Fouts and Alyson Habetz.  

Starting Lineups:

Alex Salter gets her first start of the weekend in the circle.

Game 1 Final: Alabama 8, Longwood 0 (6 Innings)

FINAL: Alabama 8, Longwood 0

Bottom 6

• Stephens singles through the left side, and Shipman comes in to score the walk-off run. It also seals the perfect game for Montana Fouts. Alabama 8, Longwood 0

• Back to back walks for Shipman and Grill with two outs.

• Prange cranks one over the centerfield wall for her seventh home run of the season. Alabama 7, Longwood 0

• Infield single for pinch hitter Kristen White. Alabama has runners on the corners with one out for the top of the lineup.

• Faith Hensley pinch hits for Heivilin and lays down a perfect bunt to reach with a bunt single. Third straight inning Alabama has had the leadoff runner on. Hensley steals second. 

Top 6

MID 6: Alabama 4, Longwood 0

• Stop me if you've heard this one before: three up, three down for Fouts in the sixth. She also adds two more strikeouts and is up to 14 in the game. 

Bottom 5

END 5: Alabama 4, Longwood 0

• Kanagawa retires the first two batters she faces. Crimson Tide tacks on two more in the fifth. 

• Longwood will make a pitching change with the runner on first and one out. Reggie Kanagawa enters to pitch for the Lancers. Kat Grill comes in to pinch run for Dowling. 

• Dowling's second hit of the day drives in Prange. Alabama 4, Longwood 0

• RBI sac fly for Shipman. Alabama 3, Longwood 0

• Prange pops it up to the centerfielder, who can't track it down. It's ruled as a single, and she advances to second on an error. Cahalan stands at third. Alabama has two runners in scoring with no outs for Shipman. 

• A lengthy at-bat for Cahalan results in a ground-rule double out to centerfield. 

• Top of the lineup up for Alabama in the fifth. 

Top 5

MID 5: Alabama 2, Longwood 0

• Three up, three down for Fouts. She's struck out six in a row and 12 overall. 

Bottom 4

END 4: Alabama 2, Longwood 0

• A flyout ends the inning, but Alabama tacks on one more run in the fourth.

• Broadfoot singles into left field to score Stephens with two outs. Alabama 2, Longwood 0

• Johnson lays down a sac bunt, and Stephens moves all the way to third with one out. 

• Single into centerfield for Stephens. First time today that Alabama has had the leadoff runner on.

• Stephens, Johnson and Heivilin due up for the Crimson Tide, looking for its first run since the first inning. 

Top 4

MID 4: Alabama 1, Longwood 0

• Another perfect innings for Fouts. She strikes out the side in the fourth and is up to nine in the game. 

• Fouts strikes out the first batter of the fourth inning for her seventh strikeout of the game and 100th of the season. 

Bottom 3

END 3: Alabama 1, Longwood 0

• Dowling hits a hard grounder to third for the final out of the inning. Alabama still with just one run through three innings. 

• Two-out triple for Shipman.

Top 3

MID 3: Alabama 1, Longwood 0

• Three up, three down again in the third inning for Fouts. She adds two more strikeouts and is up to six in the game. 

Bottom 2

END 2: Alabama 1, Longwood 0

• Preuitt pops out to end the inning. 

• It looks like it was a designed hit-and-run, but Broadfoot steals second to give Alabama runner in scoring position with two outs. 

• Hard single up the middle for Broadfoot with two outs. 

Top 2

MID 2: Alabama 1, Longwood 0

• Fouts strikes out the side in the second. 

Bottom 1- Alabama batting

END 1: Alabama 1, Longwood 0

• Stephens hits one hard to the first baseman, but is retired. Side retired.

• Dowling reached second on the error and gets to third on a wild pitch with two outs. 

• Dowling singles into centerfield. The ball is misplayed by the Longwood centerfielder, and Shipman comes all the way in from first to score. Alabama 1, Longwood 0

• Shipman is hit by a pitch on her back knee to give Alabama its first baserunner with two outs. After a quick look by the trainer, Shipman appears fine and will stay in the game. 

Top 1- Longwood batting

MID 1: Alabama 0, Longwood 0

• Three up, three down for Fouts in the first. 

• Fouts opens the game with a strikeout. 

• First pitch from Fouts is a strike, and this game is underway.

Starting lineups:

Pregame

• The game before ended within the allotted time frame, so Alabama vs. Longwood should start on time. 

• Alabama has been wearing monochromatic uniforms this weekend. Friday it was all white, Saturday it was all gray, and today Team 27 will wear all crimson.