LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Alabama softball team posted a dominating 9-0 shutout in game one of a Saturday doubleheader over Kentucky before falling in a back-and-forth game two, 11-6.
For Alabama (23-9, 4-4 SEC), the offense was on full display in game one against Kentucky (20-10, 3-7 SEC), scoring nine runs on nine hits, including three home runs.
Two of those long balls came off the bat of senior Sydney Booker, part of a 3-for-4 day for the Crimson Tide shortstop. She is the first Alabama player to hit multiple home runs in a game since Leona Lafaele at Texas A&M on April 15, 2016. The Crimson Tide also had multi-hit efforts from freshman Kaylee Tow, sophomore Gabby Callaway and junior Merris Schroder, with the trio accounting for four of the Tide’s nine runs scored.
Senior Alexis Osorio (7-3) had more than enough run support in her return to the circle, shutting out the Wildcats in the complete-game effort with just one hit allowed and 10 strikeouts.
In game two, Kentucky took an early 4-1 lead before a five-run third gave Alabama the 6-4 advantage. The Wildcats scored three in the bottom half to pull ahead 7-6, eventually adding four more down the stretch to bring the score to 11-6, which proved final.
A trio of errors proved costly for the Tide, as four of the 11 runs allowed were unearned. Tow posted a second-straight multi-hit game, going 3-for-3 with a run scored.
Senior Courtney Gettins started the game but exited after 2 innings, with freshman Madison Preston (6-4) throwing 2 1/3 innings behind her in relief before Gettins re-entered the game with one out in the bottom of the fifth.
The series rubber match is set for a noon (CT) start on Sunday.
