Over the weekend, Alabama softball went 5-0 in the T-Mobile Crimson Classic, led by their pitching dominating the opposing teams' hitters. Alabama played five games and recorded five shutouts, allowing just nine hits in those five games.
Lauren Esman set the tone for the weekend's dominating pitching performance from the Alabama pitching staff Friday night against Robert Morris. Esman pitched seven innings of shutout ball, recording nine strikeouts and allowing just four hits. Both the seven innings pitched and nine strikeouts were career highs for Esman.
Saturday, in the first of two shutout victories for the Crimson Tide, Jaala Torrence tossed the 42nd no-hitter in Alabama softball history, her first career no-hitter, and first of the season for Alabama. The Alabama offense also showed up, scoring 10 runs in the first four innings, ending the game in the 5th inning due to the run rule. Torrence allowed just one base-runner on a walk and struck out four batters in the win over Robert Morris.
In the second game of the day, Montana Fouts controlled the circle striking out 12 batters in a complete game shutout over Longwood. Kenleigh Cahalan drove in two runs with a single in the second inning leading the Alabama offense to a four-run second inning that would provide all the run support needed for Fouts to get her eighth victory of the season.
On the final day of the T-Mobile Crimson Classic, Alabama pitching once again made headlines with Montana Fouts tossing her third career perfect game and the eighth in program history, in the first of two shutout victories for the Crimson Tide on Sunday. Fouts sat down all 18 batters she faced, with 14 of those by way of strikeout, as Alabama beat Longwood 8-0 in a six-inning, run-rule victory.
"We haven't allowed a run since the Southern Miss game on Wednesday, so kudos to [Alabama pitching coach] Lance [McMahon] and all four pitchers and both catchers," said head coach Patrick Murphy. "It's a 50-50 proposition out there, and to throw it that well against anyone in college softball these days is a heck of a feat. Montana's perfect game was huge. She just keeps doing it. She is amazing to watch."
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