TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The No. 1-ranked Alabama softball team split its two games on opening day of the 2020 season, defeating North Carolina, 5-2, before Joanne Graf Classic tournament host Florida State overcame a six-run deficit to defeat the Crimson Tide 8-7 in extra innings.
“Alexis Kilfoyl and Montana Fouts gave us two really great starts against two really good teams,” head coach Patrick Murphy said. “Unfortunately we couldn’t hang on in the second game. We’ve got to be much better defensively all the way around. It was great to see Alexis Mack and Savannah Woodard get their first base hits as members of the Crimson Tide.”
Alabama (1-1) opened the day with a three-run victory over UNC (0-2), scoring five unanswered to start the game including a four-run fourth inning. The Tide took a 7-1 lead in the second game against Florida State (2-0) but the Seminoles rallied to tie it and send the game to extras, eventually walking it off in the eighth.
Kilfoyl earned the win in her Crimson Tide debut, pitching six innings with two runs allowed, both unearned, on five hits with seven strikeouts against North Carolina.
Skylar Wallace scored two runs from the leadoff position while cleanup hitter Kaylee Tow had two of the team’s seven hits.
Sarah Cornell pitched the final inning to earn her fourth career save.
Against Florida State, Taylor Clark hit her first career home run for the Crimson Tide. She had seven home runs across two seasons at Virginia Tech (2017-18)
Tow and Mack both turned in two-hit performances. Fouts pitched seven innings, allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits with seven strikeouts and six walks to take the loss.
Alabama concludes it weekend at the JoAnne Graf Classic with another pair of games Saturday against Florida State (2 p.m. CT) and UNC (4:30 p.m).
