Late World Series Rally Comes Up Short
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Crimson Tide Softball Falls To LSU 6-4
Coach Patrick Murphy & Meeting At The Mound
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
The University of Alabama softball season came to a heart-breaking end yesterday afternoon with a 6-4 loss to fellow-SEC competitor LSU in the 2016 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was a do-or-die game for the Crimson Tide, and when the dust cleared they were packing for home.
The Tide (51-14) put on a late rally after trailing LSU (51-17) early in the game 6-1. Bama's three-run sixth brought the game back into reach, but the potential tying run in the seventh on base was stranded with the final out. The rally and season were over.
Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said, "There was a lot of fight and a lot of grit. If we had one more hit in the bottom of the sixth or with the bases loaded earlier in the game, it’s a different story. Carley [Hoover] made some great pitches and so did Alli [Walljasper]. The pitch to end it was a nice jam pitch, so you have to give LSU credit."
Crimson Tide senior Haylie McCleney was two-for-three in yesterday's contest. She closes out her Bama softball career with a school-record .447 batting average as well as a .569 on-base percentage. Fellow senior player Leona Lafaele was also two-for-three, as well as two RBIs and a solo home run for the game. Starting pitcher Sydney Littlejohn (23-7) took the loss for the Tide throwing 4.2 innings. She was followed by freshman Madi Moore tossing 2.1 relief innings.
The winning pitcher for LSU was starter Carley Hoover (21-8). Allie Walljasper came in later in relief for her third save of the season.
This year was the Crimson Tide’s 11th appearance at the Women’s College World Series, including five of the last six seasons and a streak of three straight. The 51 wins marks the 12th 50-win season in Alabama softball history, including 10 of the last 12 years.
McCleney commented, "It was an unfortunate outcome." We did put ourselves in what we thought was a good position. We got people on base but we just couldn’t get them in early in the game like we needed to. You can’t say this team didn’t’ fight. You don’t have to win a championship to be a champion because I have 18 champions back in that locker room."
UA Head Softball Coach Patrick Murphy
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
Kalli Case struttin' her stuff prior to the game
Photo Credit: Robert Sutton
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Nick Saban Remembers Ali
Nick Saban Remembers Ali
UA Head Football Coach Nick Saban
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban appeared on ESPN Radio with Marcus Spear and Dari Nowkhah and spoke a little about the life and passing of Muhammad Ali. The coach waxed nostalgic as he told of standing around his dad's gas station and listening to the replay of the fight between the then Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston.
Those of a certain age remember that fight. How most didn't give the young Clay (Ali) a chance to win that fight. But Ali said he was going to win. And win he did.
If there was an Ali fight on the radio, Saban and those hanging around his dad's service station would be listening. "When I was a kid, I remember working in my dad's service station in
West Virginia," Saban said. "When he'd (Muhammad Ali) have a fight ... we'd all listen
to the car radio. All the doors were open and people were standing
around. We didn't have anywhere it was televised then."
In the just-over ten minute interview, Saban said, "There are few, if any, individuals who displayed as much class as Muhammad Ali." Another man of class showing class in those words.
Saban was also very complimentary of the way Ali stood up for his principles, for what he truly believed in. He spoke of how Ali used his notoriety in being a champion "to really affect the world in a lot of really positive ways."
Ali passed away on Friday at the age of 74.
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston
Photo: globe-mma.com
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Alex Leatherwood Still Committed To Alabama Football
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Alex Leatherwood Still Committed To Alabama Football
Alabama football commit Chris Leatherwood
Photo Credit: Chris Kirshner/AJC
Slow down, Crimson Tide fans. The photo of University of Alabama offensive tackle commit Alex Leatherwood in a Florida jersey was neither a omen of bad-new-to-come or a hoax. Nothing more than an old photograph being tweeted.
Leatherwood is a five-star prospect out of Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola, Florida. He had tweeted early in the week he would be in Gainesville to help some family there. Turned out he didn't even go.
He has, however, made a second visit to the Auburn campus. He said nothing to worry about there either. His commitment remains strong to the Tide.
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Tide Loses 4-Star Recruit Askew To Auburn
In-state four-star McAdory athlete Malcolm Askew has made his decision. He has made a verbal commitment to Auburn during their Big Cat recruiting weekend. Askew was one of the recruits in the athlete category that the Crimson Tide was going after.
Askew picked the Tigers over Alabama, Ole Miss, Clemson and TCU. He had developed a relationship with Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele as well as secondary coach Wesley McGriff.
Earlier the youngster had Georgia as his leader, but dropped them from consideration after former head coach Mark Richt was forced out.
