Alabama Softball Wins Two Games

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The top-ranked Alabama softball team (7-0) opened the FGCU/LaQuinta Inn and Suites Tournament with two victories, Friday at the FGCU Softball Complex. The Crimson Tide downed Appalachian State, 9-3, in the opener and then defeated host FGCU, 2-1, in front of a record crowd of 1,109.

Game One

The top-ranked Alabama softball team opened the FGCU Tournament with a 9-3 win over Appalachian State. UA banged out six hits and scored in every inning but one to earn the win and improve to 6-0.

Redshirt-junior Lauren Sewell (2-0) earned the win. The right-hander allowed three runs on two hits and struck out nine in five innings.

Junior Jackie Traina, sophomore Danae Hays and freshman Haylie McCleney collected two hits apiece while Traina and Hays also drove in a pair.

Alabama took an early lead by plating two first inning runs. McCleney kept her torrid start going with a double to left-center to start the game, and after getting bunted over to third by junior Ryan Iamurri, was brought home by senior Kayla Braud. Traina then drove home Braud on a single up the middle.

Back-to-back homers powered the Tide in the third. Traina started things off with her second home run of the season, this time a blast over the wall in right. Hays then drilled the scoreboard in left to give Alabama a 4-0 lead.

A three-run fourth gave the Tide a 7-0 lead. Alabama took advantage of some mistakes, loading the bases and scoring on a wild pitch, a hit-by-pitch and a passed ball.

After a three-run homer by Appalachian State in the fifth, Alabama got one back when Iamurri drove in Keima Davis on a groundout to push the score to 8-3.

Alabama capped off its scoring when sophomore catcher Chaunsey Bell drove in Hays on a fielder’s choice.

Game Two

Behind All-American Jackie Traina, the top-ranked Alabama softball team was able to down FGCU, 2-1, in front of a record crowd in Fort Myers.

Traina allowed one unearned run on three hits and struck out 12 in the complete game effort to improve to 4-0 on the season.

Junior All-American Kaila Hunt led the Tide with two hits, including a solo shot in the winning effort.

Alabama got things going in the fourth inning when Hunt hit a solo home run off the light pole in left-center. The home run was her third on the season.

The Tide tacked on another run in the fifth inning when freshman Haylie McCleney doubled down the right field line to plate Jadyn Spencer from second. Spencer started the frame with a single up the middle.

Alabama will play two games on Saturday, starting the day against Wichita State at 11:15 a.m. ET. The Tide will then play Georgia Southern at 3:45 p.m.