Alabama Opens Regional Play with One-Hit Shutout Over Jackson State

Friday, May 16

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

5 p.m. CT

Alabama

38-21

Jackson State

29-24

Jackson State

Alabama

Alabama Opens Regional Play with One-Hit Shutout Over Jackson State

5/16/2025 8:42:00 PM | Softball

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The Crimson Tide defeats the Tigers, 8-0, in five innings

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball opened NCAA Regional play Friday at Rhoads Stadium with a one-hit shutout over Jackson State, with the Crimson Tide defeating the Tigers 8-0 in five innings.

The shutout is Alabama's (38-21) 31st all-time in NCAA Regional play and its 20th run-rule victory.

After two scoreless innings, a Jackson State (29-24) error to start the bottom of the third set up a four-run inning for the Tide, coming off a pair of RBI singles from Kali Heivilin and Brooke Ellestad and a two-run double from Salen Hawkins. An RBI groundout and another RBI single from Heivilin tacked on two more in the fourth, giving Alabama a 6-0 lead heading to the fifth.

Hawkins was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the fifth and advanced to third after a pair of wild pitches. She tagged up and scored on a sac fly to make it 7-0 before another flyout put two outs on the board. A hit-by-pitch, single and a walk loaded the bases for Alabama, putting the game-ending run 60 feet away before another wild pitch ended up bringing that run home, securing the 8-0 run rule win in five innings.

FROM HEAD COACH PATRICK MURPHY

"I am so pleased that Ms. [Emily] Winstead got her first postseason NCAA win. We just felt like it was the best matchup in the first round with her speed and her riseball. She did a terrific job, allowing just one hit over four innings. She did exactly what we wanted her to do. Offensively it was a little slow start, but they came on and I'm glad we ended the game early."

HIGHLIGHTS

The shutout was Alabama's 31st all-time in regional play and its 20th run-rule victory
Audrey Vandagriff stole her 49th base of the season, giving her sole possession of fourth on Alabama's single-season record list and three shy of tying third-place Brittany Rogers (52 – 2009)
Brooke Ellestad was one of three players with two RBIs, her team-leading 14th multi-RBI game this season
Kali Heivilin and Larissa Preuitt had two hits, their 11th and 10th multi-hit games of the season, respectively

SCORING SUMMARY

B3 | Larissa Preuitt scored on an RBI infield single from Kali Heivilin (1-0, 2 Out)
B3 | Salen Hawkins drove in two with a double to left center (3-0, 2 Out)
B3 | Brooke Ellestad hit an RBI single through the right side (4-0, 2 Out)
B4 | Preuitt scored on an RBI groundout (5-0, 1 Out)
B4 | Heivilin dropped an RBI single into left (6-0, 2 Out)
B5 | Hawkins scored from third on a sac fly (7-0, 0 Out)
B5 | Alexis Pupillo came home on a wild pitch (8-0, 2 Out)