GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 16th-seeded Alabama softball team capitalized on two errors Thursday night to beat top-seeded Florida 3-0 in Game 1 of the NCAA tournament’s Super Regional.
Alabama (46-16) was again led by a stellar pitching performance from Alexis Osorio (23-7), who earned the complete-game shutout win while limiting Florida (53-8) to three hits.
Alabama pitching has allowed one run in the NCAA tournament, including a current streak of 28 2/3 scoreless innings. The shutout was the 27th of the season for Alabama, which is a single-season school record.
Alabama scored all three of its runs in the top of the fifth inning, capitalizing on two throwing errors by starting pitcher Kelly Barnhill (23-3) on two sacrifice bunts. The three runs scored are the most allowed by Florida since a 3-1 loss to Florida State on May 3.
Florida put two runners on base in the first and second, but Alabama worked out of the jams with a strikeout in the first and a pickoff at second base in the second.
A leadoff single by Demi Turner in the top of the first gave the Crimson Tide their only baserunner until the fifth. Barnhill retired 11 straight before Bailey Hemphill drew a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth.
With pinch-runner Mari Cranek on first base for Hemphill, Reagan Dykes laid down a bunt in the next at-bat. The throw to second wasn’t in time, which put two on base with nobody out. Chandler Dare followed with another bunt. The throw to first sailed over the first baseman’s head, allowing two runs to score. Another sacrifice bunt attempt by Sydney Booker resulted in another throwing error that allowed Dare to score from second to make it 3-0.
Florida loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the fifth and Janell Wheaton would battle through a 12-pitch at bat but a fly ball to left would get Alabama out of the jam. Two walks put two runners on base for Alabama to start the top of the sixth. Right fielder Aleshia Ocasio came on in relief to get the Gators out of the tough spot with a lineout double play and a groundout.
Alabama couldn’t add to its lead in the top of the seventh. In the bottom half of the inning, Amanda Lorenz walked with two outs, but a pop up to second base ended the game.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series will be at 6 tonight (ESPN).
n In related news, seniors Chandler Dare and Sydney Littlejohn have been selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America second team, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced Thursday.
This marks Littlejohn’s second-consecutive appearance on the second team All-America list and the first Academic All-America honor of Dare’s career. Alabama is one of just four schools with multiple honorees, along with Louisiana, Michigan State and the Tide’s Super Regional opponent Florida.
Alabama softball players have earned 23 Academic All-America awards over the Tide’s 21-year history, including at least one award winner every year since 2008.
Dare and Littlejohn earned their undergraduate degree in three years at the Capstone and moved on to graduate school during their senior seasons. Dare completed her master’s degree in public relations and Littlejohn will complete her masters in human performance and exercise science this summer. Each has a 4.0 grade-point average in graduate school and finished with GPA’s above 3.8 as undergrads.
Alabama athletics leads the nation with 70 honors over the last eight years.
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