For a second straight game, the No. 15-ranked Alabama softball team found itself in a bases-loaded jam against No. 4 Florida on Sunday.
This time, Alabama weathered the storm, survived a similar potential disaster in the third inning and answered every Florida challenge en route to a 3-2 win that evened the key three-game SEC series. The rubber game will be played Monday at 6 p.m.
Crimson Tide starting pitcher Courtney Gettins struggled with control in the first inning, which saw three walks and an error by UA. But Gettins started a home-to-first double play and added a strikeout to end the inning.
Alabama followed by scoring a run in the bottom of the inning as Alyssa Brown singled, stole second and scored on a hit by Kaylee Tow.
“It was huge,” Brown said. “You never want to get down and in the first game (a 6-1 Florida win on Friday), we were playing from behind all night. We knew we needed to win, so the plan was to come out and attack.”
Gettins faced another bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top the third but escaped on an even more spectacular double play as left fielder Merris Schroeder caught a fly ball and threw out Florida’s Kayli Kvistad at home plate.
The Gators (33-6, 8-3 SEC) tied the game on Sophia Reynoso’s solo home run in the top of the fourth but Alabama immediately answered on a solo home run by Bailey Hemphill in the bottom of the inning.
Florida pulled even again in the top of the fifth as Aleshia Ocasio hit a sun-aided, two-out triple, then scored on a double by Janell Wheaton. Once again, Alabama (25-10, 6-5 SEC) used the long ball in response as Sydney Booker drove the ball over the left field wall for her fourth home run of the year.
Alexis Osorio, the Crimson Tide’s Friday night starter, had entered the circle in the fifth inning and blanked the Gators over the final two innings, raising her record to 9-4 on the season. Ocasio (14-4) took the loss for Florida.
“The ability to bounce back was huge today,” Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. “This was one of the few times this year that we responded to every challenge. Merris’ throw was an awesome play. Bailey and Sydney had big hits, Gettins threw some big pitches and (Osorio) looked like the old Osorio today.”
Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil@tidesports.com or 205-722-0225.
