HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Faced with coming from behind once again, Alabama A&M (4-7, 1-0 SWAC) rose to the occasion as they scored three runs over the final two innings to steal a 6-5 victory over Southern (1-14, 0-1 SWAC) in an NCAA Division I softball game on Friday, March 19.
The Jaguars would get on the board first as they built a run with a single, steal, ground out and sacrifice fly in the top of the first before A&M would power through in the bottom of the second inning. That frame would see them push across three runs, two by senior catcher
Haleigh Winter (Huntsville, Ala.), as they benefited from a pair of hits and as many errors to take a 3-1 lead.
It would stay that for the next two innings until Southern went base-to-base with three singles, a walk and an error, a rally that saw them score four runs to take a 5-3 lead. It would not last, however, as an RBI triple by sophomore third baseman
Taylor Woods (Decatur, Ala.) immediately cut it to a one run margin the next half inning.
A leadoff double by junior outfielder
Alyssa Lopez (San Leandro, Calif.) got things started in the bottom of the sixth and the Bulldogs would pick up where they left off. Winter would follow with a one out single to tie it up at 5-5 and would take second on the throw home.
She then continued her trip around the bases on a sac bunt by junior first baseman
Olivia Simon (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) before senior outfielder
Ariel McAtee (Smyrna, Tenn.) sent a slow roller back to the pitcher. It would be a ball she would beat out and allow Winter to come home with the go-ahead run to make it 6-5.
The Jaguars would not go away as they threatened in the top of the seventh, getting the leadoff batter on with a hit by pitch. Much like Winter's trip the previous inning, she would make her way around to third with two outs, but unlike that frame she would be left stranded as freshman pitcher
Esperanza Coe (Beaumont, Calif.) induced a fly out to right to lockdown the 6-5, come-from-behind victory.
Winter would lead the way with three RBIs and that key run scored to lead Alabama A&M while Woods roped an RBI triple as part of a 2-for-3 day that included a run scored. Senior outfielder
Dorian Edwards (Cobb County, Ga.) added an RBI and Lopez was 1-for-2 with two runs, a double and a walk. Coe pitched all seven innings, allowing five runs, three earned, while striking out three to even her record at 2-2.
Mariyah Sandoval produced three RBIs on a 1-for-2 day to lead the SU and Lauren Parks went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Aubrion James rounded out the offense with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate and a run scored while Kaitlyn Donaldson took the loss after allowing six runs and eight hits over six innings of work.
The Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow, Saturday, March 20 as they host the final two games of a three-game set against Southern. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
