Trouble met Alabama softball at the start.
While facing the first five Virginia Tech batters, Crimson Tide pitcher Jocelyn Briski walked two and allowed two hits, including one run. By the time she got out of the opening frame, Briski had allowed two runs, three hits and two walks to go with only one strikeout. Meanwhile, Alabama couldn’t find a way to score any runs despite getting runners on base.
“They won the first inning; So what?” Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said was his message to the team. “We have six more. We’re going to win the rest.”
The Crimson Tide didn’t “win” every inning from there, but it did outscore the Hokies in the next three, and that was enough for a 4-3 victory in the second game of the Tuscaloosa regional in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Rhoads Stadium. Alabama is one win away from reaching the NCAA super regionals. The Crimson Tide will play in the regional final against a to-be-determined opponent Sunday.
Alabama only managed three hits but manufactured four runs out of it to squeeze out the victory.
“I kind of figured it was going to be that type of game,” Murphy said. “Good pitching on both sides. Whoever got the key play or the key hit ... was probably going to win the game. Stay steady. No big deal.”
Kali Heivilin provided the key hit. Her two-run home run in the third inning gave Alabama the lead for the first time, and the Crimson Tide never gave it up the rest of the way.
Audrey Vandagriff hit the RBI single in the fourth inning that extended Alabama’s lead to 4-2, an important run that would be needed to secure the win.
On the mound, Briski improved from the first inning and got the win. She allowed 7 hits, 3 earned runs, 5 walks and 1 home run while striking out five batters over seven innings.
Here’s how Alabama outlasted Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Seventh inning
-- Top of the seventh: Lynch singles to start things off. Then she’s thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice. One runner on base, one out. Then Aldridge is tagged out at one. Beck is intentionally walked. Then Martin flies out to center field. Alabama wins 4-3.
Sixth inning
-- Top of the sixth: Annika Rohs leads off for Virginia Tech, and she pops up for the first out. Then Rachel Castine struck out. Then Cori McMillan hit a fly out to left field for the third out. 1-2-3 inning.-- Bottom of the sixth: Mari Hubbard is hit by pitch and advances to first. But the umpire initiated a challenge to review it and see if it was a foul ball instead. The call on the field is changed and ruled a foul ball. Then she grounds out. Next, Abby Duchscherer strikes out on a full count. Then, Larissa Preuitt walks. Alabama has a runner on first with two outs. Audrey Vandagriff up to bat. Virginia Tech swaps pitchers, putting Emma Lemley on the mound. Mazzarone finished with a stat line of 5.2 innings pitched, 3 hits, 3 earned runs, five walks and 6 strikeouts. She tallied an ERA of 3.32. Preuitt steals second. Vandagriff pops out to center field and an outfielder has to make a diving catch. Alabama still leads 4-3.
Fifth inning
-- Top of the fifth: Zoe Yaeger strikes out to start the inning. Then Kylie Aldridge hit a home run to right center. Alabama still leads 4-3 with one out in the fifth. Then Peck grounded out. Next, Briski walks Martin. Two outs, one runner on first. But LeGette strands a runner as she flies out to left field.
-- Bottom of the fifth: Kali Heivilin is walked to start the inning. She advances to second on a wild pitch. Giles popped up for the first out. Then Heivilin advanced to third after Hawkins grounded out. Two outs with a runner on third. Then Ellestad struck out swinging to strand a runner and end the inning.
Fourth inning
-- Top of the fourth: Virginia Tech kicks things off with a double to right field. Then Rohs reaches first base on a fielder’s choice as Alabama throws out the pinch runner at third base when Rohs bunted. Rachel Castine popped up to the infield for the second out. Then Cori McMillan hit a single to left center field to put runners on first and third with two outs. Then Briski strikes out Jordan Lynch to strand two runners on base. Alabama escapes the inning without allowing a run.
-- Bottom of the fourth: Brooke Ellestad grounds out to first to start the inning. Then Hubbard strikes out on a full count. Abby Duchscherer walks on a full count. One runner on base with two outs. Larissa Preuitt gets to first after an error by the shortstop as she drops a ball that flies right to her. Alabama has runners on first and second. Two outs. Then Audrey Vandagriff hits a single to left field. That scores a runner to give Alabama a 4-2 lead. That advanced Preuitt to second. Then, Lauren Johnson strikes out, but the third strike is dropped and she is able to advance to third. The play is under review. Virginia Tech is challenging the call that it was a dropped by the catcher. After review, the call is overturned. So the third strike was caught. Inning over.
Third inning
-- Top of the third: Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski strikes out the first batter on a full count. The next batter flies out to right field. Then Trinity Martin is thrown out at one. A 1-2-3 inning for the Alabama defense.
-- Bottom of the third: Audrey Vandagriff is walked on a full count to start things off for Alabama. Then Vandagriff steals two bases to advance to third. She was able to steal third because of a throwing error. After a review of whether Vandagriff left early, the call is upheld. She did not leave early. So Alabama has a runner on third with no outs. Then Johnson lined out to third for the first out of the inning. Next, Kali Heivilin smacks a two-run home run to center field to give Alabama a 3-2 lead. Then, Giles grounds out for the second out. Salen Hawkins strikes out swinging on a full count to close out the inning.
Second inning
-- Top of the second: Annika Rohs reaches first on an error to start things off. Rohs advanced to second on a sacrificial bunt. Then Alabama intentionally walked McMillan. Next, Lynch popped up. Two outs, runners on first and second. Then, Alabama closes out the inning as Brooke Ellestad caught the last out at third base. Still 2-0 Virginia Tech.
-- Bottom of second: Ellestad smacks a lead off single up the middle. Then Ellestad reaches second on a wild pitch. Mari Hubbard flies out to right field. Next batter is Abby Duchscherer, who is thrown out at first after a dropped third strike but she scored Ellestad. Alabama now trails 2-1. Then Larissa Preuitt was thrown out at one for the final out.
First inning
-- Top of the first: Jocelyn Briski walks the first batter Cori McMillan. Then, Briski walked the next batter too on a full count. Then Briski finds some rhythm and strikes out the next batter. But the next batter gets to first on the first pitch with the first hit allowed. Bases are loaded. Then Bre Peck singled to right field, scoring a Virginia Tech runner. 1-0 Virginia Tech with one out. Then the Hokies have a batter reach first on fielder’s choice, so bases remain loaded, but there are two outs. Next, Virginia Tech appeared to take a 3-0 lead from a single to left field by Emily LeGette, but upon a challenge and further review, the second runner was thrown out at home. So, Virginia Tech has a 2-0 lead. Briski gave up 3 hits, 2 earned runs and two walks with one strikeout.
-- Bottom of the first: Leadoff Audrey Vandagriff is thrown out at first. Then Lauren Johnson is thrown out at first too. On a 3-2 count, Kali Heivilin is walked. That keeps Alabama alive in the inning and opens the door for Marlie Giles to get to first on an error, allowing Heivilin to advance to third. Two runners on base, two outs. To close out the inning, Salen Hawkins pops out to right field. Alabama strands two runners. Still 2-0 Virginia Tech.
Pregame
-- Jocelyn Briski will pitch for Alabama. Emma Mazzarone will pitch for Virginia Tech. Briski has a 2.78 ERA. Mazzarone brings a 3.30 ERA.
-- Alabama’s order: Audrey Vandagriff, Lauren Johnson, Kali Heivilin, Marie Giles, Salen Hawkins, Brooke Ellestad, Mari Hubbard, Abby Duchsherer, Larissa Preuitt.
-- Virginia Tech’s order: Cori McMillan, Jordan Lynch, Zoe Yaeger, Kylie Aldridge, Bre Peck, Trinity Martin, Emily LeGette, Annika Rohs, Rachel Castine.
