Over the weekend, the No. 13 Alabama softball team won a pitching duel and lost in extra innings, splitting the two-game series with No. 16 Virginia Tech.
In the first of two games, Alabama and Virginia Tech took part in a pitcher’s duel at Rhoads Stadium on Friday night ending in a 1-0 Alabama victory.
Alabama pitcher Kayla Beaver continued her dominance in the circle, stifling one of the nation’s most potent offenses. Beaver limited Virginia Tech to only five singles. Striking out six and inducing 11 groundouts, Beaver improved her record to 4-0 with the complete game shutout.
The Alabama offense was limited to only two hits on the day. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Alabama made the most of a two out walk. The Crimson Tide’s first baserunner of the game was immediately pinch run for by Kinley Pate, who stole second and came around to score the only run of the game on an RBI single from Kendal Clark.
The series finale was a much different type of game than the pitching duel in game one. Alabama softball staged a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extra innings in Saturday's game against Virginia Tech. However, the Hokies scored five runs in the eighth inning, leading to an 8-3 victory over the Crimson Tide and a split in the weekend series.
Alabama left two Virginia Tech batters stranded on base in both the second and third innings before the Hokies scored first in the fourth with a leadoff solo home run. In the fifth, with the bases loaded and one out, Alabama couldn't turn the front end of a double play, allowing a run to score on an RBI groundout, making it 2-0. Despite having runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings, Alabama couldn't score. Virginia Tech added a run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly, extending their lead to 3-0.
Trailing by three runs in the bottom of the seventh, Kendal Clark hit a leadoff triple, followed by a single from Lauren Esman that drove in Clark to break the shutout. After a popup and a close play at first on a bunt, which resulted in an out, pinch runner Kinley Pate advanced to second. Jenna Johnson then walked, bringing the potential winning run to the plate. KB Sides hit her second triple of the day, driving in two runs to tie the game at 3-3 before a strikeout ended the inning, sending the game to extra innings.
However, Virginia Tech responded strongly in the top of the eighth, scoring five runs to take an 8-3 lead. Alabama couldn't muster a comeback in the bottom half, going down in order to end the game.
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