Photo by Carson Redwine from The Crimson White

By Jennaya Lazenby

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- University of Alabama softball swept Liberty University and Louisiana
State University in the Easton Bama Bash.

Alabama proved to be the best team in the country through all four games. Coming into the
tournament (4-0 overall) and ranked No. 5.

In the first game on Friday against Liberty, Alabama opened up the weekend with a great 6-3 win at
Rhodes Stadium. Sarah Cornell started things off first in the circle. The Tide came out heating
things up allowing no hits in the top of the first and then putting runs on the board in the bottom
of the first, scoring four runs. KB Sides came out with a hit and a stolen base, Bailey Dowling,
Jenna Johnson, and Kaylee Tow all had RBIs at the start of the game.

Liberty responded in the top of the third, scoring one run against Alabama. Lexi Kilfoyl came into
to pitch for the Tide at the top of the fourth with bases loaded, Liberty scored one run on an error
and another on a hit to end the inning 4-3 Alabama. The Crimson Tide quickly responded with
two runs in the bottom of the fourth making it 6-3 Alabama. Alexis Mack had a two-run single to
extend the lead. Alabama finished the next three innings allowing no hits or errors.

Tow led Alabama’s offense going 3-for-3 at the plate and Elissa Brown extended her hitting
streak to five games. Sophomore pitcher Kilfoyl earned her third win of the season with 4.0
perfect relief innings. “I thought both of our pitchers did a great job today” said coach Patrick
Murphy.

In Saturday’s game against Liberty, the Tide continued to show that they’re here to win.
Montana Fouts was in the circle for Tide, throwing 12 strikes out of her first 16 pitches. The bottom of the first inning lasted 30 minutes with Alabama scoring six runs. Tow had a huge hit
bringing in two runs to continue her hot streak with bases loaded. Claire Jenkins had a crushing
home run for her senior day. Fouts returned the next two innings giving up no hits or errors
Liberty scored a run at the top of the fourth, but that was nothing for Alabamas offense, Tow came
out on a mission at the bottom of the fifth and hit a homer making the score 7-1 Alabama.

Alabama kept Liberty scoreless at the top of the sixth, Sides had a hit in the bottom of the sixth
and was brought in by Mack’s groundout making it 8-1 Tide. Krystal Goodman entered the circle
at the top of the seventh to close for the Tide.

Alabama had 10 hits in the 8-1 victory over Liberty. Fouts set a career high record with 13
strikeouts. Brown extended her hitting streak to six games.

Alabama carried over that same energy late that Saturday night against LSU. Kilfoyl led the Tide in
the circle. Alabama scored in the bottom of the first, with Dowling hitting it to the fence and
bringing in Bailey Hemphill making the score 1-0 at the end of the first. Jenkins started off the
bottom of the second with a single, followed by Brown loading the bases. Jenkins was able to
score off of an error to extend the lead to 2-0 Alabama.

The score remained 2-0 headed into the bottom of the fourth. Brown and Sides both had hits,
allowing Brown to score off of an error to end the inning 3-0. LSU put up two runs in the top of
the fifth but Kilfoyl fought back with a major strikeout to end the inning. Tow kicked things off
with a double all the way to the fence for her fifth hit of the day and was able to score on an error
to make it 4-2 Tide. Brown came up with another hit to set a new career high in hits to end the
fifth. Maddie Morgan had an RBI single to increase the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
Alabama beat LSU 5-2, with Tow going 5-for-7, three RBIs and scoring three runs. Brown
extended her hitting streak to seven games. Kilfoyl earned her fourth win. “Offensively I thought we kept battling and battling…. 12 hits is a lot against a really good team, I was pleased with the
two wins,” said coach Murphy.

Alabama capped off the weekend by run-ruling No. 8 LSU on Sunday. LSU came out strong at
the start of the first, putting one run on the board early against Fouts. Tow doubled in the bottom
of the first all the way to the fence to score Mack to tie it 1-1. Dowling crushed the ball for a
two-run homer to build the lead 3-1 at the end of the first. LSU responded with a home run of
their own to tie it three all, making it a battle between both teams heading into the bottom of the
second.

Morgan started the inning with a hit straight up the middle following by Brown being walked.
Mack connected bringing in a run and Hemphill with an RBI single to bring Brown in making
the score 5-3 Alabama at the end of the second. Fouts allowed no hits during the third inning, Alabama
led 5-3 going into the fourth. LSU fought back again with another two-run homer tying it up 5-5.

Tow stepped up to the plate with two outs and bases loaded; continuing her hot streak, Tow came
up with a big hit scoring three making it 8-5 Alabama. Dowling had an RBI double scoring one
making it 9-5 at the end of the fourth. Fouts wrapped up the top of the fifth quickly, only
pitching seven pitches. Brown continued her streak with another hit, Tow again with bases
loaded and two outs did it again with a two-run single to make it 11-5. Freshman Dowling came
up huge for the Tide with a two-run double to close the game, beating LSU 13-5.

Fouts walked away with fourth season win and Brown increased her streak to eight games.
Tow was named SEC player of the week and Louisville Slugger/NFCA player of the week. Tow
is the true definition of “Two outs, so what!”

The Crimson Tide is back in action on Wednesday against UAB at 6 p.m. in Rhoads Stadium.