The Alabama softball team was without a key player for the third time this season after junior second baseman Demi Turner went down during last Saturday’s game at Missouri. Turner was hit in the face in the sixth inning of UA’s victory by a hard-thrown ball while playing defense.
Turner was not with the team on Sunday. Her status going forward isn’t clear. Turner is one of the team’s leading hitters with a .387 average. She batted .444 last week with two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases before the incident.
Alabama had been without outfielder Merris Schroder, who missed the previous weekend’s series and a midweek game vs. Kent State while undergoing concussion protocol following a collision in practice. Schroder returned for Saturday’s game against Mizzou and hit a home run. Pitcher Madi Moore missed several games earlier after sustaining a concussion on a collision at home plate.
Alabama (32-6) fell into a tie for fourth place in the SEC standings after dropping two out of three games at Missouri. UA is 8-4 in league play, tied with Auburn and Tennessee with a .667 winning percentage. Florida (10-1) is in first place in the conference, followed by Texas A&M (9-2) and LSU (7-2).
Alabama will play Lipscomb on Wednesday in Florence with a 6 p.m. first pitch. The Crimson Tide will host LSU this weekend, with a 6:30 start on Friday, an 8 p.m. game on Saturday and a 2 o’clock start on Sunday.
– Tommy Deas
