Bama Softball's Osorio Pitches Perfect; No. 10 Kentucky Gymnastics Defeats No. 6 Bama; Crimson Tide Women's Golf Heads To Cali; Tua Tagovailoa Selects Jersey No. 13; Alabama Men's Tennis Falls To Oklahoma State

Crimson Tide Softball's Alexis Osorio

Pitches Perfect Game With School Record Strikeouts

Photo Credit: UA Athletics

CONWAY, South Carolina – Alabama softball started its new season in fine style on Friday. The Crimson Tide shut out Towson 17-0 on opening day action at the Kickin' Chicken Classic before ace junior pitcher Alexis Osorio threw the fourth perfect game in Bama softball history with a school-record 19 strikeouts in a 6-0 shutout over Coastal Carolina. Sydney Littlejohn and Madi Moore combined to put the hurt on Towson in the opener.

The 2-0 Alabama Crimson Tide scored a combined 23 runs against Towson (1-1) and Coastal Carolina (0-1), achieving its highest ever opening-game run total against the Tigers. Then Osorio punctuated it all in the nightcap throwing the fourth perfect game in Alabama Crimson Tide softball history and a school-record 19 strikeouts.

So it was a 21-0 day for Bama over yesterday,s two opponents. Alabama's Peyton Grantham led the way for the Crimson Tide going four-of-six at the plate. She drove in eight RBIs, including a pair of doubles as well as a home run. Demi Turner was four-of-seven with a team-leading five runs. Merris Schroder and Elissa Brown weren't far off the leaders with three hits apiece. And get this, all 15 hitters on the Alabama roster got at least one at-bat on Friday.

It should be noted that all three of the Crimson Tide's pitchers also saw action. Osorio struck out the first 12 batters she faced, and Coastal Carolina failed to put the ball in play before the fifth inning. Carolina managed only one more pop up to first for the game's final out as Osorio struck out 19 of the 21 batters she faced. In the game with Towson, Sydney Littlejohn threw 4.0 shutout innings in the opener while Moore three 1.0 inning in relief before the game was called after five at 17-0. The 17 runs are the most scored by the Tide in a season-opener and it's five home runs are the most in a game since April 15, 2012 against South Carolina. 

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No. 10 Kentucky Gymnastics Defeats No. 6 Bama

Photo Credit: UA Athletics

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 10th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats gymnastics team used a school-record team total to defeat the No. 6 ranked Alabama gymnastics team 197.475 to 197.050 on Friday night to overcome the Crimson Tide's second-highest road score of the young season. 

Alabama gymnastics head coach Dana Duckworth said, "Kentucky did an amazing job [last night], starting out strong and powering through to the best performance in their history. We started with our foot on the gas [Friday night], going tremendously strong on the uneven bars, but despite performing bigger vaults than we have been, we missed crucial landings. We followed vault with a wonderful floor performance, but I'm most disappointed in the fact that we didn't keep our foot on the accelerator and do what we're capable of on balance beam."

The meet with the Wildcats was the Tide's fourth 197-plus score of the season, and second on the road, while Kentucky posted its third school record team total this season.

"I feel at the end, we got hesitant and were competing not to lose instead of competing to win," Duckworth said. "We've got to teach this team to find the internal passion to go all in not matter what happens before or after, and to finish. That's a lesson we had to learn and we can use that to make us better, and that is what we'll focus on to make us better for next week."

Alabama scores:

Uneven bars 49.350 - Kiana Winston 9.9; Shea Mahoney 9.9

Vault 49.175 - Katie Bailey 9.9

Floor exercise 49.400 - Kiana Winston 9.925; Aja Sims 9.9; Maddie Desch 9.875; Ari Guerra 9.875

Balance beam 49.125 - Nickie Guerrero 9.95

"I'm very proud of Shea Mahoney and the way she came through on the uneven bars tonight and I'm proud of Amanda Jetter, who once again did a tremendous job on the uneven bars," Duckworth said.

"Ari got back out there on the floor exercise tonight and did an amazing routine with the double back last pass." 

Concerning Guerrero, Duckworth said, "I can't say enough about Nickie on beam tonight. She crunched her ankle during floor warmups tonight and we almost pulled her out, but she said, 'No, I can do this,' and then went with the double-pike routine and did a great job. 

Alabama returns home to Coleman Coliseum to face in-state rival Auburn for its next meet scheduled for February 17th. 

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Crimson Tide Women's Golf Heads To Cali

Photo Credit: UA Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama  – The University of Alabama women's golf team will begin the second half of its 2016-17 schedule at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge Feb. 12-14 at the Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, California. The host institution for the tournament this year is Ohio State. 

This year's field includes Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, California, Duke, Florida, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, San Diego State, Tennessee, UCLA, UNLV, USC, Wake Forest and Washington.

The Tide finished second in last year's Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge shooting a 12-over par 864. Janie Jackson led Bama with a one-under par 212, to tie for second in the individual competition. Lakareber Abe finished fourth with a one-over par 214.

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Tua Tagovailoa Selects Crimson Tide Jersey No. 13

Photo Credit: 247Sports

New University of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has selected his jersey number while at The Capstone. The youngster made his announcement via Twitter, and has chosen to wear No. 13.

Here is a look at Tagovailoa's announcement on Twitter:

One of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the nation, the 5-star chose the University of Alabama, and held that commit through signing day. The 6' 0; 212-pounder enrolled at UA on January 8th and already seems to enjoy life at The Capstone.

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Alabama Men's Tennis Falls To Oklahoma State

Photo Credit: UA Athletics

STILLWATER, Oklahoma – The University of Alabama men's tennis team fell 7-0 yesterday to the 12th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys at the Greenwood Tennis Center. The Crimson Tide falls to an overall 5-3 record, while the Cowboys remain undefeated at 6-0.

Alabama head coach George Husack said, "[Last night] we got beat by a very good team. They (Oklahoma State) are certainly the best team that we have faced thus far. Our goal was to take it to them on all the courts physically, mentally, and emotionally. We fell short of that goal, and we will move on and learn from the experience. We want to be at the level of a team like Oklahoma State at the end of the season, and we will get back to work on that goal on Sunday against the Oklahoma Sooners."

SINGLES RESULTS:
1. No. 32 Julian Cash (OSU) defeated No. 82 Thibault Cancel (Alabama) 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7)
2. No. 48 Lukas Finzelberg (OSU) defeated No. 92 Mazen Osama (Alabama) 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Artur Dubinski (OSU) defeated Spencer Richey (Alabama) 6-3, 6-3
4. Arjun Kadhe (OSU) defeated Edson Ortiz (Alabama) 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0 (10-8)
5. Lucas Gerch (OSU) defeated Alexey Nesterov (Alabama) 6-2, 6-2
6. No. 65 Jurence Mendoza (OSU) defeated Zhe Zhou (Alabama) 6-1, 6-1

DOUBLES RESULTS:
1. No. 5 Arjun Kadhe/Julian Cash (OSU) defeated Mazen Osama/Spencer Richey (Alabama) 6-3
2. No. 50 Lucas Gerch/Jurence Mendoza (OSU) defeated Edson Ortiz/Thibault Cancel  (Alabama) 6-0
3. Alexey Nesterov (Alabama) vs. Lukas Finzelberg/Artur Dubinski (OSU) 4-4, DNF