Alabama softball hosted Middle Tennessee State in the Tide’s second game of the 2023 NCAA tournament Tuscaloosa regional on Saturday afternoon.
Alex Salter served as Alabama’s starting pitcher after Jaala Torrence started Friday night’s shutout win over LIU. The Tide remained without Montana Fouts, who is day-to-day with a hyperextended left leg.
Here were the live updates from Saturday’s noon CT start in Rhoads Stadium:
Bottom 7th: Torrence retired the side to end the game. FINAL: Alabama 12, Middle Tennessee State 5. Alabama will play Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT with a chance to advance to the super regionals.
Top 7th: Alabama went down in order again.
Bottom 6th: Another scoreless inning for Torrence, who walked and hit a batter but did not allow a hit.
Top 6th: This game is moving along with Alabama retired in order again. With approaching showers and storms, a quicker end to this game could be a good thing for the Tide as they can nearly look ahead to Sunday’s regional final.
Bottom 5th: After allowing a leadoff single, Torrence retired the next three batters for another scoreless inning. She now has pitched 9 and two-thirds innings without a run during the regional.
Top 5th: In a change from the previous two innings, Alabama was retired in order.
Bottom 4th: Torrence hit a batter but otherwise handled the Blue Raiders to advance to the fifth inning.
Top 4th: After Kenleigh Cahalan walked to lead off the inning, Kali Heivilin homered over the left field fence to put Alabama back on top, Alabama 6, Middle Tennessee State 5. After a single by Kristen White, MTSU turned to its third pitcher in Claire Woods. After a walk by Jenna Johnson, Larissa Preuitt advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt, then Ashley Prange lined out for the inning’s second out. But Bailey Dowling then singled into left field to score White and Johnson and make the score Alabama 8, Middle Tennessee State 5. Two more walks loaded the bases and brought up Cahalan again as Alabama batted around. Cahalan walked to score another run, making the score Alabama 9, Middle Tennessee State 5 with Alabama’s 20th batter coming to the plate since the start of the third inning. MTSU replaced Woods with Paige Connors, the fourth pitcher in four innings for the Blue Raiders. But Connors walked her first batter to score another run, making the score Alabama 10, Middle Tennessee State 5. A fifth consecutive walk scored another run to make it Alabama 11, Middle Tennessee State 5. The Red Raiders brought back starting pitcher Kamryn Carcich, their fourth pitcher of the inning, but her first pitch was wild in the dirt to score another run, making it Alabama 12, Middle Tennessee State 5. Alabama’s 14th batter of the inning, Jenna Johnson, flew out to center field to end the frame after 35-plus minutes and eight runs scored.
Bottom 3rd: Salter recorded an out before walking her next two batters. The bases were then loaded on a fielding error by second baseman Kali Heivilin. An RBI single scored a run to make the score Alabama 4, Middle Tennessee State 3, prompting coach Patrick Murphy to pull Alex Salter for Jaala Torrence. But Torrence walked her first batter to score a Blue Raiders run and tie the game at Alabama 4, Middle Tennessee State 4. The next Blue Raiders batter fouled out to left field but the third-base runner tagged up and scored to make the score Middle Tennessee State 5, Alabama 4 with two outs. Torrence then stranded the other two runners on a strikeout.
Top 3rd: After a leadoff out, Alabama’s Kali Heivilin became the first Tide player to reach base, then advanced to third base on a double by Kristen White. Both runners then scored when Jenna Johnson grounded to the first baseman, who committed a fielding error then a throwing error to allow Johnson to reach base. That made the score Alabama 2, Middle Tennessee State 2. After a second out, Johnson advanced to third base on a single by Ashley Prange, who advanced to second base on the throw. Johnson and Prange then scored on a two-out double by Bailey Dowling to make the score Alabama 4, Middle Tennessee State 2. That forced a pitching change for the Blue Raiders from Kamryn Carcich to Keri Munn. Ally Shipman reached base after being hit by Munn’s pitch. The two runners were stranded when Emma Broadfoot, the ninth batter of the inning, flew out to center field.
Bottom 2nd: Alex Salter allowed a two-out, solo home run to Ansley Blevins to make the score Middle Tennessee State 2, Alabama 0. This one was nearly caught by center fielder Kristen White before it barely cleared the fence.
Top 2nd: Alabama was retired in order for a consecutive inning, with Emma Broadfoot striking out looking to end a seven-pitch at bat.
Bottom 1st: After Salter got a seven-pitch line out from the leadoff batter, she allowed a solo homer by Blue Raiders shortstop Laura Mealer over the centerfield fence. That made the score Middle Tennessee State 1, Alabama 0. Salter then retired the next two batters to end the inning.
Top 1st: Alabama, the designated road team for the game, was retired in order to start the game on six pitches from MTSU starter Kamryn Carcich.
Pregame: Salter will take the circle for Alabama, which gets Jenna Johnson back after she missed Friday night’s game with an injury. Alabama’s lineup: LF Johnson, RF Larissa Preuitt, 3B Ashley Prange, DP Bailey Dowling, C Ally Shipman, 1B Emma Broadfoot, SS Kenleigh Cahalan, 2B Kali Heivilin, CF Kristen White.
Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.
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