Pitching Staff Falters in WCWS Game 1 Loss for Alabama Softball

Crimson Tide trio of Torrence, Salter and Esman can't contain the red hot Tennessee Volunteers.

Alabama Athletics

OKLAHOMA CITY —  Sometimes, you run into a buzzsaw. 

On Thursday, No. 5 Alabama fell to Karen Weekly's No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers 10-5 in a game where little mistakes turned into game-altering miscues. 

Heading into the matchup, Patrick Murphy tabbed Super Regional star Jaala Torrence with the start in the circle.

Torrence, a right-handed junior from Dothan, Alabama, had previously pitched 28.6 innings of two earned-run ball over her last six outings, striking out 26 batters while picking up three victories for the Crimson Tide. 

Today, that hot streak came to a conclusion, as the Volunteers battled through Torrence's three-pitch arsenal with ease — scoring six runs over the course of her brief 2.1 inning outing.

Only two of those runs were earned, however, as a second-inning, two-out error from Ashley Prange proved costly, with four runs coming across the plate after a pair of doubles from Zaida Puni and Katie Taylor. 

"They got a thing going there with two outs," Murphy said. "We just need to stop the bleeding, and it happened to us up there in Fayetteville and kind of happened again today."

Coming in relief, things didn't get much easier for sophomore Alex Salter, who pitched one inning of four-hit, four earned-run ball in the circle, allowing a three-run home run to Rylie West in the fourth inning. 

While Torrence and Salter struggled, senior Lauren Esman managed to stop the bleeding for Alabama, pitching 2.2 innings of shutout ball to give the Crimson Tide a fighting chance.

In the end, it was too little, too late. 

"They came up with some really big hits, and I think one of the key stories was our opportunity in the first inning, and we didn't cash in," Murphy said. "First and third and no outs and 3, 4, 5 up to bat. We have to get some runs, something there, because it was a really good start, and then it kind of deflated us."

Alabama ace Montana Fouts was available to pitch, but never did so for strategic purposes.

"Yeah, she's fine," Murphy said. "To me it's like either tied, within a run, or a lead. So I'm not sure what's going to happen tomorrow, but today that would have been the deal."

After a disappointing loss, the Crimson Tide will likely turn to Fouts on Friday in the loser's bracket. Matchup to be determined.

See Also:

Little Losses Lead to Big Loss for Alabama Softball in WCWS Opener

WCWS Notebook: Tennessee Continues Two-Out Dominance in Win Against Alabama

Everything Alabama Softball Said After Losing to Tennessee in WCWS