ATHENS, Ga. – The Alabama softball team took a sizable early lead Sunday against Georgia and used a combined pitching effort to hold off a late Bulldog rally and win, 7-4.
Alabama (29-17, 9-12 SEC) saw contributions throughout its lineup and its bullpen in the win over Georgia (42-8, 15-6 SEC). Eight of the nine Crimson Tide starters earned a hit, led by sophomore Elissa Brown in the leadoff spot with her second-straight three-hit performance. Sophomore Bailey Hemphill, making her first start in two weeks, posted a pair of hits including a three-run home run in her first at-bat.
In the circle, senior Alexis Osorio (12-8) earned the win with seven strikeouts over 4.0 innings of work, holding the Bulldogs to one run on three hits. Junior Courtney Gettins tossed 2.1 innings behind her while freshman Madison Preston entered in the seventh to secure the final two outs, earning her second save of the season. Friday winner Mary Wilson Avant (8-2) lasted just 2.0 innings in Sunday’s start, exiting with five runs allowed, four earned, on six hits.
Next weekend, Alabama concludes the regular season portion of its schedule with a three-game series in Tuscaloosa against No. 11/12 Texas A&M (39-12, 12-8 SEC). The Tide and the Aggies open play on Friday at 7 p.m. live on the SEC Network.
