How a pinch-hit grand slam powered Alabama softball to series sweep at South Carolina

Brett Greenberg, The Tuscaloosa News
·3 min read

Alabama softball picked up its first SEC series sweep of the season over South Carolina in Columbia, powered by a pinch hit grand slam from KJ Haney in Friday’s 7-5 win.

The No. 4 Crimson Tide (28-4, 6-3 SEC) also won 10-2 Saturday and 6-1 Sunday. Alabama totaled 23 runs on 28 hits against South Carolina (18-13, 3-6).

Montana Fouts (15-1, 1.78 ERA) picked up two complete-game wins and totaled 26 strikeouts, including a season-high 16 strikeouts Sunday, which tied her career best. .

Lexi Kilfoyl (5-2, 2.00 ERA) turned in a complete two-hit game, her third of the season, on Saturday.

The Crimson Tide beat UAB 8-1 on Wednesday in Birmingham.

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Here are three things we learned:

Alabama bench comes through

Coach Patrick Murphy said at the beginning of the year he had his deepest bench yet in his 24th season. Murph used a pinch hitter nine times over the weekend, resulting in three walks and three runs scored.

Haney entered for right fielder Kat Grill in the top of the sixth inning Friday with the Crimson Tide trailing by three. On the second pitch, Haney blasted a grand slam, her second career home run, to give Alabama the lead 6-5.

The sophomore had just one hit this season before her homer. South Carolina had jumped on Alabama with a 5-2 to lead before the Crimson Tide added two walks and a single to load the bases for Haney.

Freshmen Jordan Stephens and Aubrey Barnhart as well as transfer M'Kay Gidley all scored off the bench in the series.

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Bringing the bats

Among the series highlights offensively for Alabama:

  • Ashley Prange extended her career-best hitting streak to nine games, going 4-for-9.

  • Ally Shipman hit the program’s third inside the park home run on the road, adding two RBIs.

  • Kaylee Tow had three multi-hit games with a home run and four RBIs.

  • Jenna Johnson tied a career high with a three-hit performance Sunday.

  • Freshman Jenna Lord accounted for three walks in Saturday’s win.

Saturday was the program’s fifth multi-home run game of the season and second time in conference play the Crimson Tide had consecutive games with two home runs.

Alabama is outscoring opponents 40-5 in the first inning and has a 13-1 record when scoring in the first inning this season.

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Crimson Tide on the road

Alabama is 8-2 record on the road, including victories over then-No. 9 Arizona, No. 20 Louisiana two times and No. 21 LSU two weekends ago.

The Crimson Tide is outscoring opponents 65-31 with 14 home runs and a 3.56 staff ERA.

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What's next

The Crimson Tide returns home to face Alabama State on Tuesday (6 p.m., SEC Network+).

Alabama travels to Albertville to play Jacksonville State on Wednesday (6 p.m., SEC Network+) in the Sand Mountain Showdown.

Reach Brett Greenberg at bgreenberg@gannett.com or follow @74talk on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama softball earns first series sweep of season at South Carolina

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