BOL Round Table

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The top-ranked Alabama softball team claimed its 12th straight tournament title when it won the Easton Bama Bash Presented Drash on Sunday at Rhoads Stadium. The Crimson Tide downed the Winthrop Eagles, 6-1, to finish 5-0 at the tournament and improve to 16-0 on the season.

Tied at one for five innings, Alabama used a five-run sixth inning to secure the win. Sophomore Danae Hays broke the tie with a two-run bloop single to left that scored junior Kaila Hunt and senior Kayla Braud.

Sophomore Danielle Richard then broke the game open with her first home run on the season. The Priceville, Ala., native cleared the wall down the left field line for a three-run shot to give the Tide its eventual 6-1 win.

Junior Lauren Sewell went the distance to improve to 3-0 on the season. The right-hander allowed one unearned on two hits while striking out five.

Hunt got things going for the Tide in the first inning when she crushed a two-out, full-count pitch well over the wall in left for her seventh home run of the season.

Freshman Haylie McCleney was named the tournament MVP after batting .571 with a home run and nine RBI. Junior Jackie Traina and sophomore Leslie Jury earned two wins apiece to also be named to the squad while Braud batted .400 with six stolen bases to round out the Tide honorees.

Alabama will play six games in four days next week, all at Rhoads Stadium. UA will open the week against Samford on Wednesday, Feb. 27, before playing its make-up game against South Alabama on Thursday. The Tide will then welcome Iowa State and St. John’s for the Easton Classic on the weekend.