Tide Softball Captures Series Win 3-0 Over Kentucky
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Daniel Melograno
A home run battle has ensued. That battle is internal. That battle is a good thing, and is between University of Alabama freshman catcher Reagan Dykes and Leona Lafaele. The two players are now up to 11 home runs each after the Alabama softball team (41-9, 12-6 SEC) secured a three-game series victory by defeating the Kentucky Wildcats (39-11; 14-7 SEC) by a score of 3-0 yesterday at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
Dykes hit her 11th home run of the season in the first inning, followed by Lafaele then hitting hers two innings later. Seven of Lafaele's home runs have come in the last eight games, and now she again again shares the team lead in home runs with Dykes for the fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.
Alabama head softball coach Patrick Murphy said, "It's good to see both Reagan Dykes and Leona Lafaele hit the way they have this season. I think Reagan is feeding off of Leona for sure, especially since Leona goes before her in the batting order.
"I told them today (Sunday) they're both at 11. Leona was like, 'Be nice to me and let me take the lead.' But that's good to see...both of them."
Number 11 Kentucky took the win in Friday night's first contest 3-2, but Alabama came back with a strong 7-1 victory on Saturday. Yesterday Bama secured the series victory with the 3-0 conquest.
Though the Crimson Tide only had five hits yesterday, two were the home runs. All three of Bama's runs came off those two home runs.
Alabama starting pitcher Sydney Littlejohn (19-4) pitched the complete game shutout securing the win. She allowed only four hits on the day with no walks. This was the seventh shut out of the season for Littlejohn.
"On Sunday in the SEC, usually everyone is going to pitch each girl twice," Murphy said. "After that, it comes down to who makes the quicker adjustments, the hitter or the pitcher? I think Sydney did a lot better today than on Friday. Any time the ball cuts off the bat, you know that she's going to have a good day because the ball is spinning that much. I noticed that the umpire grabbed the ball when the Kentucky batters fouled it off to look and see if it was cut because the spin was so great. That's a really good sign to us that the ball is moving well."
Murphy add, "It was a great series win."
Reagan Dykes
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Shelby Akin
Leona Lafaele
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Daniel Melograna
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Alabama Gymnastics Honored At Annual Banquet
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama gymnastics team was honored last night at its annual awards banquet for the outstanding 2016 season which included an NCAA-best 31st regional title and 23rd top-three NCAA Championship finish. The event was hosted by The Medalist Club, the gymnastics booster organization, in Coleman Coliseum with more than 300 attendees.
Other awards handed out Sunday included:
- David Dutton Memorial Award: Jennie Loeb
- David DeSantis Community Service Award: Mackenzie Valentin
- David Patterson Work Ethic Award: Lauren Beers
- Dana Dobransky Commitment to Excellence: Carley Sims
- Fern Hampton Academic Award: Mackenzie Brannan
Also honored at last night's banquet was the Crimson Tide's 2016 NCAA vault champion, Katie Bailey, as well as its five 2016 All-Americans -- Bailey, Beers, Brannan, Kiana Winston and Aja Sims.
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Alabama Baseball Suffers Loss To Texas A&M
The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team fell yesterday 2-1 to the third-ranked Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies captured the weekend series and dropped the Tide to 24-17, 9-9 SEC.
Bama head coach Mitch Gaspard said, "The guys played their tails off all three games, and put
themselves in position to win all three games. Today, you have to tip your hat to Nick Eicholtz.
He battled. He’s been battling stomach issues, was throwing up before
the game, and he comes out and gives us a terrific outing. All of our
bullpen pieces did a great job on the mound, too."
Eicholtz pitched 7.0 innings
of one-run baseball, allowing six hits and not issuing a walk while
striking out a season-high five batters. The junior pitcher wrapped things up recording the final nine outs in order. He was followed, in order, by Brock Love, Jon Keller, Matt Foster and Thomas Burrows. The four held the Aggies to only one hit, which turned out to be the game winner in the ninth.
Bama will next travel to Birmingham to battle the Samford Bulldogs tomorrow at 6 p.m. CT. The Tide then hosts seventh-ranked Mississippi State in a three-game series this Thursday through Saturday.
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4-Star QB Prospect Tagovailoa Making Decision Soon
4-Star QB Prospect Tua Tagovailoa
Photo Credit: 247Sports
Sport Illustrated writer Chris Johnson is reporting that Tua Tagovailoa will soon be making his decision where he will be playing his college football. Tagovailoa is a four-star quarterback prospect from Honolulu, Hawaii who is showing interest in the Alabama Crimson Tide. The young prospect tweeted yesterday:
Taking time and praying on a decision. I will make my official commitment on May 2nd🗓 Thank you to everyone in support of my decision🙏🏼— TuaTagovailoa (@Tuaamann_) April 23, 2016
A decision and announcement is scheduled to be tweeted on May 2nd. Tagovailoa recently made an "SEC swing", visiting Alabama, Auburn, and Ole Miss. These three, along with LSU, UCLA and USC are reportedly make up his favorite schools.
The 6' 2", 210-pound Tagovailoa is ranked as the nations No. 59 overall prospect and No. 2 dual-threat quarterback according to 247Sports. Alabama, looking for its class of 2017 quarterback, is reported to be very interested in the young man. Bama's former QB selection, Jake Fromm, flipped his commitment from Alabama to Georgia.
