Alabama Softball Sweeps Mississippi State
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Tide Tames Bulldogs 8-1 Sunday
Though the Crimson Tide softball team trailed 1-0 early in yesterday's contest with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the outcome was never really in doubt. Bama scored eight unanswered runs in their Sunday afternoon contest to defeat the Bulldogs 8-1 and earn the series sweep.
Melissa Runyon was the star of the show, blasting a fourth inning grand slam and a sixth inning RBI double accounting for six of Bama's eight runs. "She is really clutch,” head coach Patrick Murphy said. "She has been thrown into those clutch situations so many times and has come through, so we expected it. It’s fun to watch."
Pitcher Sydney Littlejohn (16-2) took the win for the Crimson Tide (35-7, 8-4 SEC) throwing 4.1 innings. It was Alexis Osorio pitching 2.2 shutout relief innings against the Mississippi State Dogs (21-18, 2-10 SEC).
Murphy said, "It's tough to get a sweep against any SEC opponent. You can tell that Mississippi State brought in the cavalry today throwing five different pitchers. It was a big win for us. Every win in SEC play is a big one."
Alabama travels to Hattiesburg, Mississippi for a contest with Southern Miss (20-22) on Tuesday, April 12th. Game time is 6 p.m. CT.
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Crimson Tide Baseball Defeats No. 19 Kentucky 2-1
Eicholtz pitches Bama to victory
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team depended on the arm of Tide starting pitcher Nick Eicholtz to defeat the Kentucky Wildcats 2-1 yesterday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Eicholtz pitched a career-long 7.2 innings of ball to help Bama improve to 19-13 overall and 6-6 in Southeastern Conference play.
Tide head baseball coach Mitch Gaspard said, "Both teams played really good, clean baseball. Kentucky is a really good team. We fought, scrapped and found a way to win today's game. Nick gave us a great outing. He needed to go out there and dominate an SEC game for his confidence, and that's what he did here today. That confidence goes throughout all 27 guys in the dugout and it helped us win today's game."
Eicholtz (2-1) allowed only one run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts in his 7.2 innings to capture his second win of the season.
Tide head baseball coach Mitch Gaspard said, "Both teams played really good, clean baseball. Kentucky is a really good team. We fought, scrapped and found a way to win today's game. Nick gave us a great outing. He needed to go out there and dominate an SEC game for his confidence, and that's what he did here today. That confidence goes throughout all 27 guys in the dugout and it helped us win today's game."
Eicholtz (2-1) allowed only one run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts in his 7.2 innings to capture his second win of the season.
Thomas Burrows came on in relief yesterday, allowing consecutive singles to get one runner across home plate for the Wildcats. He did, however retire the next four batters in order to pick up his seventh save of the season.
Next up for the Crimson Tide is a contest with in-state foe UAB on Tuesday, April 12th at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Game time is 6:30 p.m. CT.
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2017 Football Commitments For Alabama Football
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team currently has 7 student-athletes who have committed to furthering their football careers at the Capstone. As new commits are announced the list will be updated and released.
Here is the complete list of 2017 commitments to UA as of 4/11/16:
- NAJEE HARRIS, RB (6-1, 210), Antioch, Calififornia
- ALEX LEATHERWOOD, OL (6-4, 300), Pensacola, Florida
- CHADARIUS TOWNSEND, ATH, (6-0, 180), Tanner, Alabama*
- XAVIER McKINNEY, DB (6-1, 170), Roswell, Georgia
- BRIAN ROBINSON, RB (6-2, 210), Tuscaloosa, Alabama*
- AARON STERLING, DL (6-1, 270), Stone Mountain, Georgia
- GARY JOHNSON, LB (6-2, 225), Dodge City (Kan.) Community College
- VanDARIUS COWAN, LB (6-4, 217), Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
*State of Alabama Recruits/Commitments
Robert Foster had some big catches coming off his injury. He was in a black no-contact jersey. Cam Sims has been looking better this spring coming off his knee injury that hampered him last season.
Rashaan Evans is still trying to catch on to the middle linebacker slot to which he has been moved. Saban said Evans is making a few mental errors right now but is hopeful he will get over that. Saban said the challenge is getting everything down in meetings, walk-throughs and the like.
Saban had praise for Lester Cotton saying that he is one of the top five offensive linemen right now, but isn't really sure at what position he will play.
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Nick Saban's Post-Scrimmage Comments
A little of the bad with the good from Alabama head football coach Nick Saban concerning the second scrimmage of the "spring" season this past Saturday afternoon.
While Saban was pleased with the improvement of the first team, he saw the need for improvement from the reserves. He said the first teams on both sides of the ball looked strong, and that there was more continuity in this scrimmage over the first.
Concerning the second team Saban said, "We have a lot of guys that need to learn
how to play winning football. Things we need to improve on are taking
care of the ball, having discipline in not getting penalties, don't
have mental errors and being able to go out there and do your job well.
Our two's try to go out there and make plays, but they don't play with
discipline which affects how they do their job like they need to."
As far as the quarterbacks, Saban said that no one really stood out. When looking at the quarterbacks, he said he is looking at "how they moved the team." He named Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell and Jalen Hurts "did a good job with that" Saturday.
Saban complimented JK Scott. He said his punting was strong in a cross wind.
Calvin Ridley and Xavian Marks were called out by the head man. Saban said they have looked the best in the kick return game.
Not only did running back Bo Scarbrough receive Saban's attention, but so did Damien Harris who rushed for 56 yards on eight carries. Just a little over seven yards a carry is impressive, and Saban said he is encouraged with the progress Harris has made this spring.
Da'Shawn Hand and the back spasms he has been experiencing was also addressed by Saban. He said that Hand is still being evaluated, and that "it's not a surgery thing, hope to get him back next week."
Robert Foster had some big catches coming off his injury. He was in a black no-contact jersey. Cam Sims has been looking better this spring coming off his knee injury that hampered him last season.
Rashaan Evans is still trying to catch on to the middle linebacker slot to which he has been moved. Saban said Evans is making a few mental errors right now but is hopeful he will get over that. Saban said the challenge is getting everything down in meetings, walk-throughs and the like.
Saban had praise for Lester Cotton saying that he is one of the top five offensive linemen right now, but isn't really sure at what position he will play.
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Alabama Rowing Novice 8+ Earns Silver
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama rowing team returns for the second consecutive year from the Knecht Cup with a Grand Final medal. The rowing team's Freshman/Novice 8+ boat cruised into second place in its event final yesterday at Mercer Lake.
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Men's Tennis Loses 5-2 To Mississippi State
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Though the Crimson Tide men's tennis team won the doubles point and the first point of the singles, the 24th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs came bounding back for a 5-2 win yesterday afternoon at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre in Starkville, Mississippi.
Alabama now falls to 14-11 overall, 5-6 in the Southeastern Conference heading into the final week of the regular season. Mississippi State improves to 15-6 on the season, 7-4 in the SEC.
Alabama head men's tennis coach George Husack said, "This is a tough pill to swallow today as we certainly had chances. In the end, credit the Bulldogs for their relentless pursuit of victory. They were better down the stretch."
The Crimson Tide hosts Vanderbilt in the final regular season match of 2016. The match is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT next Sunday, April 17th.
