TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — No. 4 Alabama scored three unearned runs in the second inning and made them hold up for a 3-0 win over No. 11 South Alabama on Wednesday night, ending the Jaguars’ 13-game winning streak and 17-game road winning streak.
Each team finished with five hits.
Second Inning Decides It
South Alabama threatened first. In the top of the second, Amanda Herron reached on an error by the Alabama shortstop and Alex Breeden followed with a two-out single through the left side, South Alabama’s first hit. A pitch got past the catcher to move the runners to second and third, but Taylor Rodgers lined out to end the inning.
Alabama answered in the bottom half. With Leona Lafaele aboard on an error, Jackie Traina hit by a pitch and Haylie McCleney on with a walk, Andrea Hawkins dropped a double into left field over the head of Kaitlyn Griffith to clear the bases.
South Alabama put runners on second and third in the top of the fifth but could not bring them home.
Pitching Lines
Farish Beard (16-2) pitched six innings for South Alabama, allowing five hits and three runs, all unearned, with four strikeouts and one walk. Her ERA, which leads the NCAA, dropped to 0.40.
Sydney Littlejohn earned the win for Alabama, allowing three hits over four innings with two strikeouts and no walks. Traina pitched the final three innings, giving up two hits and striking out four without a walk for her second save.
The Crimson Tide improved to 9-0 all time against South Alabama.
Up Next
South Alabama (29-4) travels to San Marcos, Texas, for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Texas State. The teams play a doubleheader Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m., and the series finale is at 11 a.m. Sunday.
