Alabama Softball Knocked Out of WCWS

Alabama fell to the Seminoles for the second time in as many days and find themselves eliminated from the Women’s College World Series.

The ‘Noles seemed to have the momentum before the first pitch was even thrown. It was reminiscent of the 2012 “Rain Dance” game except the Tide players were the ones standing around with long faces while Florida State was the loose team bouncing around and cheering.

Montana Fouts (L, 27-4) got off to a rocky start trailing 3-0 after just three batters. After two innings, it was a four run FSU advantage. Lexi Kilfoyl relieved Fouts after two more ‘Noles crossed the plate in the third. By the end of the inning, it was 8-0 and Alabama had not even reached base. But Florida State would score no more as Kilfoyl would shut them down.

Seminoles pitcher Kathryn Sandercock (W, 26-3) handled the first six Bama batters with ease. The Tide finally found some success at the bottom of the order when Taylor Clark and Elissa Brown singled. After a strikeout, Bailey Hemphill drove in the first Alabama run of the game with a double and life finally returned to the Alabama bench.

Kaylee Tow followed it up with a grounder to second base but amazingly beat the throw to the bag to push a second run across the plate.

KB Sides led off the fourth inning with her first hit of the WCWS on a solid double to the wall and Sandercock got the hook. However, Sunday’s hero Caylan Arnold came in and got three quick outs.

Alabama continued to chip away at the Florida State lead in the fifth when Brown got her second hit of the game (no pinch-hitting tonight). After Mack grounded out, Hemphill smacked her 64th career home run to make the score 8-4.

This forced FSU to the bullpen once more as Danielle Watson entered the game. The ‘Noles third pitcher got Tow out on one pitch but walked Jenna Johnson on four straight pitches. Sides followed up with a single. Savannah Woodard singled up the middle scoring Johnson but Alabama then committed a Cardinal Sin of making the third out at third base as Sides tried to take an extra base on a throw that was never intended to go to home. It is unclear if Patrick Murphy signaled her over or if Sides did this on her own but it was a devastating decision. Instead of having the potential tying run come to the plate with opposing pitcher on the ropes, the Tide let her off the hook with a base running gaffe.

Bama could not get anything going in the sixth or seventh and the Seminoles won 8-5.

Alabama finishes the season 52-9 as they wave goodbye to a legendary senior class.

#Team25 #RollTide