Live Updates: Alabama Softball Leadoff Classic Season-Opening Doubleheader
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Fort he first time since being on this very field against Stanford in NCAA regionals last season, Alabama softball takes the field at Rhoads Stadium for the season opener.
Last season, the Crimson Tide went 44-13 overall and 16-8 in the SEC. Alabama brings back 13 players from that team plus three transfers and five freshmen.
Alabama opens the first part of a doubleheader in the Leadoff Classic against Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks went 31-20-1 last season, winning the Patriot League tournament and a game in the regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
In game two, Alabama will face Georgia Souther out of the Sun Belt. The Eagles were 13-34 last season.
Heading into the tournament, Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said he wants to see every position player get at least one at-bat and every pitcher to make at least one appearance. So, there could be a different lineup for all four games this weekend.
Alabama lost game one to Lehigh, 7-4.
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Live Updates
(latest updates at the top)
Game 2- Alabama (0-1) vs. Georgia Southern (0-1)
FINAL SCORE: Alabama 8, Georgia Southern 2
Top 7
Fouts strikes out the side in the 7th, finishing with 16 strikeouts. Alabama wins.
Bottom 6
END 6: Alabama 8, Georgia Southern 2
- A groundout ends the half inning.
- In her first career at-bat, Giles absolutely smokes a line drive into centerfield for a two-out single.
Top 6
MID 6: Alabama 8, Georgia Southern 2
- Fouts strikes out the side in the 6th, and she's up to 13 strikeouts in the game.
- With a bigger lead, Alabama makes some changes in the field. Freshman Marlie Giles makes her debut at catcher, and fellow freshman Abby Duchscherer comes in for Cahalan at second base. Fouts remains int he circle.
Bottom 5
END 5: Alabama 8, Georgia Southern 2
- The inning ends with a groundout, but Alabama tacks on five runs in the 5th.
- Bombs away! Heivilin blasts one over the wall in right center for a three-run home run. Alabama 8, Georgia Southern 2
- Heivilin only had one home run all of last season.
- Preuitt gets her second stolen base of the game to put both runners in scoring position with two outs.
- Preuitt rips one through the right side for her third RBI of the game. Alabama 5, Georgia Southern 2
- Broadfoot walks, and Alabama has two one with two out after a fielder's choice.
- Dowling battles through a lengthy nine-pitch at-bat which ends with an RBI single into left field. It increases the Alabama lead to 4-2
- Kat Grill comes in to pinch run for Dowling.
- Shipman grounds out to second, which moves the runner to third base with one out.
- Prange waits on the changeup for a leadoff infield single.
Top 5
MID 5: Alabama 3, Georgia Southern 2
- Georgia Southern bats out of order, which helps lead to the final out for the Crimson Tide.
- Leadoff single for the Eagles. Fouts retired 11 straight batters to open the game, but four of the last five have now reached with base hits.
Bottom 4
END 4: Alabama 3, Georgia Southern 2
- Cahalan grounds out on the first pitch for the final out of the inning.
- A groundout from White moves Heivilin to third with two outs for the top of the lineup.
- Georgia Southern will make a pitching change. Holland comes out, and Alana Barnard enters the circle for the Eagles.
- Heivilin sends one up the middle, and Preuitt scores from second. Alabama takes its first lead of the game with one out. Alabama 3, Georgia Southern 2
- Preuitt places one perfectly down the left field line to bring in both runners. Alabama ties the game up at 2-2
- Hensley moves both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.
- Broadfoot reaches on an error, and Alabama has two runners on with no outs.
- Dowling leads off with a single up the middle for her first hit of the day.
Top 4
MID 4: Georgia Southern 2, Alabama 0
- Fouts' ninth strikeout ends the frame.
- Mills doubles out to the warning track in left center, and the Eagles grab the first lead of the game. Georgia Southern 2, Alabama 0
- Back to back singles put runners on the first and second with two outs.
- Sam Vinson cracks one to centerfield for Georgia Southern's first hit and baserunner. Runner on first with two outs for the Eagles.
- After striking out the first batter, Fouts makes a nice snag in the circle on a grounder to get the second out.
Bottom 3
END 3: Alabama 0, Georgia Southern 0
- The Georgia Southern centerfielder makes a diving catch to rob Shipman and keep Alabama off the board in the 3rd, stranding two runners.
- A fielder's choice off the bat of Prange puts runners on the corner with two outs.
- Back-to-back singles from White and Cahalan put two on with one out for Prange.
Top 3
MID 3: Alabama 0, Georgia Southern 0
- Fouts adds two more strikeouts in the 3rd with another 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 2
END 2: Alabama 0, Georgia Southern 0
- Nothing doing for the Crimson Tide in the 2nd.
Top 2
MID 2: Alabama 0, Georgia Southern 0
- Another three up, three down inning for Fouts with two more strikeouts.
Bottom 1- Alabama batting
END 1: Alabama 0, Georgia Southern 0
- Dowling flies out on the first pitch, and Alabama goes scoreless in the 1st.
- Shipman stats hot with a two-out single up the middle.
Top 1- Georgia Southern batting
MID 1: Alabama 0, Georgia Southern 0
- Fouts strikes out the side in the 1st.
- The first pitch from Fouts is a strike, and this game is underway.
- Montana Fouts is in the circle for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama Starting Lineup:
1. Kenleigh Cahalan- 2B
2. Ashley Prange- 3B
3. Ally Shipman- C
4. Bailey Dowling- DP
5. Emma Broadfoot- 1B
6. Faith Hensley- LF
7. Larissa Preuitt- RF
8. Kali Heivilin- SS
9. Kristen White- CF
Starting pitcher: Montana Fouts
Georgia Southern Starting Lineup:
1. Faith Barth- SS
2. Olivia Creamer- 3B
3. Sam Vinson- 1B
4. Janai Conklin- C
5. Dejah Mills- DP
6. Emma Davis- LF
7. Emily Greek- 2B
8. Kinley Stewart- CF
9. Chandler Caldwell- RF
Starting pitcher: Bailey Holland
- Game two against Georgia Southern will begin at 6:17 p.m. as Alabama will try to rebound from the stunning, season-opening loss.
Final Score Game 1: Lehigh 7, Alabama 4
- A complete-game, seven-inning performance for Lehigh starter Katelyn Young. She limited the Crimson Tide to four runs on 10 hits.
- Ashley Prange and Emma Broadfoot hit home runs for the Crimson Tide, and those would account for the only four runs.
- Emily Cimino had three hits and five RBIs for Lehigh. Her three-RBI double off of Montana Fouts in the 7th gave the Mountain Hawks their first lead of the game, and it held for the 7-4 win.
Bottom 7
END 7: Lehigh 7, Alabama 4
- Dowling grounds out to shortstop, and Alabama loses.
- Shipman lines out on the first pitch. Alabama is down to its final out with Dowling at the plate, looking for her first hit of the game.
- A bloop single from Prange puts two on with one out.
- Cahalan flies out to left on the first pitch. One out.
- Heivilin gets on with a leadoff bunt single.
Top 7
MID 7: Lehigh 7, Alabama 4
- Two strikeouts and a groundout end the inning, but Cimino once again does major damage for the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh takes a three-run lead going into the bottom of the 7th.
- Ciminio clears the bases with a double just inside the third base line off of Fouts. Lehigh takes a 7-4 lead, still no outs. First lead of the game for Lehigh.
- Cimino is now 3 for 4 with a home run and five RBIs.
- A single to right field loads the bases with no outs in a tie game.
- Montana Fouts enters for the first time this season with two runners on and no outs.
- Lehigh lays down a bunt that goes right back to the pitcher, but there's no one covering first base, and both runners are safe.
- Prange charges a ball at third for a close play at first. The runner is called safe, and Lehigh has a leadoff baserunner with the top of the lineup coming up.
Bottom 6
END 6: Alabama 4, Lehigh 4
- Duchsherer flies out to shallow left field to end the inning, stranding the runner at second.
- Preuitt steals second base.
- Freshman Abby Duchsherer is in to pinch hit for Stephens with Preuitt on first and two outs.
- Preuitt, who entered defensively in the 5th, hits for Esman. She singles through the left side in her first career at-bat.
- Broadfoot becomes the fourth Alabama batter in a row to swing at the first pitch.
- Broadfoot is set to lead off for the Crimson Tide. She hit a home run her last time up.
Top 6
MID 6: Alabama 4, Lehigh 4
- With back-to-back strikeouts to end the half inning, Torrence retires the side in order. It is the first 1-2-3 inning for Alabama on defense since the 1st inning.
Bottom 5
END 5: Alabama 4, Lehigh 4
- Dowling flies out to right on the first pitch. Three straight batters swing at the first pitch. After the leadoff walk, Alabama is retired on three pitches.
- Shipman lines one up the middle on the first pitch for a two-out single. She now has two hits in the game.
- Cahalan was running on the first pitch and gets doubled off on the liner from Prange. Two outs.
- Leadoff walk for Cahalan, her second time reaching base today.
Top 5
MID 5: Alabama 4, Lehigh 4
- Two groundouts after the home run end the frame.
- Ciminio ties the game up with a blast to dead center off of Torrence. Alabama 4, Lehigh 4
- After a leadoff single from the Mountain Hawks, Alabama will make some changes in the field. Freshman Larissa Preuitt enters for White in centerfield. Junior Jaala Torrence enters the circle for Esman.
- Esman leaves after four innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits. She struck out four and will be responsible for the runner on first.
Bottom 4
END 4: Alabama 4, Lehigh 2
- The bottom of Alabama's lineup can't get the runners in, but Alabama retakes the lead in the 4th thanks to the Broadfoot home run.
- Back to back singles for Alabama as Esman grounds one up the middle. Two runners on with one out for Stephens.
- Johnson lines one up the middle for a one-out single to keep the inning going.
- In her first game in a Crimson Tide uniform, Alabama native and transfer Emma Broadfoot smashes one over the right field wall for a two-run home run. Alabama retakes the lead with one out. Alabama 4, Lehigh 2
- Shipman rips a ball off the wall in right field for a leadoff double.
- Ally Shipman will lead off for the Crimson Tide, looking for Alabama's first hit since the first inning.
Top 4
MID 4: Alabama 2, Lehigh 2
- Broadfoot makes a nice play at first to tag the runner and get out of the inning. But the Mountain Haws tie the game up.
- Leigh is currently outhitting Alabama 6 to 2.
- Lehigh ties the game on an RBI-double from Abbey Tabaka. Alabama 2, Lehigh 2
- A bloop single gives Lehigh a one-out baserunner.
- Heivilin makes a diving snag at short for the first out of the 4th inning.
Bottom 3
END 3: Alabama 2, Lehigh 1
- Three up, three down for the second inning in a row. Since Alabama got two hits on the first two pitches of the game, the Crimson Tide hasn't had any baserunners.
Top 3
MID 3: Alabama 2, Lehigh 1
- Esman gets out of the jam with a groundout to shortstop.
- A double from Cimino puts two runners in scoring position with two outs.
- Esman gets two strikeouts to open the frame before Owens legs out an infield single.
Bottom 2
END 2: Alabama 2, Lehigh 1
- The Crimson Tide goes down in order in the bottom of the 2nd-- groundout, popup, groundout.
Top 2
MID 2: Alabama 2, Lehigh 1
- Esman rebounds from the double with her second strikeout to strand the runner at second base.
- Amanda Greaney knocks one off the wall in left-center for a two-out RBI double. Alabama 2, Lehigh 1
- Rorey Dudley rips one through the left side for a one-out single, and the Mountain Hawks' first hit of the game.
Bottom 1- Alabama hitting
END 1: Alabama 2, Lehigh 0
- After Prange's home run, it was three straight flyouts for the Crimson Tide from Shipman, Dowling and Broadfoot.
- Prange also swings on the first pitch, and she sends right over the centerfield wall. Alabama leads 2-0
- Patrick Murphy talked about the team wanting to increase their power this season. Prange had 8 home runs for Alabama last season and gets her first this season on her first at-bat.
- Cahalan rips the first pitch she sees down the right field line for a leadoff single.
Top 1- Lehigh hitting
MID 1: Alabama 0, Lehigh 0
- An easy 1-2-3 inning for Esman capped by her first strikeout. She only needed seven pitches to get through the top of the 1st.
- The first pitch from Esman is a ball, and this game (and season) are underway.
Pregame
- Michigan transfer Lauren Esman is jumping right in with the Crimson Tide, starting in the circle and batting seventh.
- Jordan Stephens gets the start in right field after only starting nine games last season.
- There are two freshmen (Kenleigh Cahalan and Kristen White) in the starting lineup.
Alabama Starting Lineup
1. Kenleigh Cahalan- 2B (FR)
2. Ashley Prange- 3B (GR)
3. Ally Shipman- C (GR)
4. Bailey Dowling- DP (JR)
5. Emma Broadfoot- 1B (JR)
6. Jenna Johnson- LF (SR)
7. Lauren Esman- P (SR)
8. Jordan Stephens- RF (SO)
9. Kali Heivilin- SS (SO)
Kristen White- CF (FR)
Lehigh Starting Lineup
1. Carley Barjaktarovich- SS
2. Lily Owens- 2B
3. Emily Cimimno- RF
4. Syndey Parlett- DP
5. Rory Dudley- 1B
6. Brooke Cannon- CF
7. Amanda Greaney- C
8. Crysta Duenas- 3B
9. Josie Charles
Starting pitcher: Katelyn Young
- Lehigh and Georgia Southern are currently in the bottom of the 7th inning with Lehigh leading 4-2. The Alabama game will start approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of this game.
