Alabama softball advances to Super Regionals

By WVUA 23 Sports Reporter Juliet Brown

After losing to Middle Tennessee earlier in the day, Alabama softball defeated the Blue Raiders, 1-0 in the winner-take-all finale of the Tuscaloosa Regional Tournament.

The game shpwcased a pitching duel between Alabama’s Jaala Torrence and MTSU’s Kamryn Carcich. Torrence pitched a complete game, striking out a season-high eight batters. Carcich allowed five hits and walked two.

Both pitchers were incredible games, adding to the growing drama of each shutout inning: which team would make the big mistake.

The game was scoreless in the bottom of the sixth when MTSU threatened to get on the board. Shelby Echols singled up the middle to lead off the inning and attempted to move into scoring position. Echols has a team-high 26 stolen bases this season but Alabama catcher Ally Shipman was ready. She made a perfect throw to Kenleigh Cahalan who made the tag on Echols for the first out of the inning.

Shortly after that, the Blue Raiders Amaya Harris singled to center field, which likely would have scored a run if Echols had not been caught stealing.

Shipman came up big once more in the top of the seventh inning. She hit a solo home run over the left field fence to give the Crimson Tide all it needed to pull off the win.

MTSU got a base hit with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning but couldn’t capitalize as Savannah Behabetz struck outlooking in the next at bat.

Alabama’s ace, Montana Fouts, was cleared to pitch in both of Sunday’s games. She hyperextended her knee against Arkansas at the SEC Tournament. Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy confirmed Fouts was available during an in-game interview. The Crimson Tide didn’t end up using her as Torrence had a shutout performance.

Alabama will host Northwestern for the Super Regionals May 25 through May 28. Whoever wins the series will move onto the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.