MOBILE, Ala. – Senior Amanda Locke collected three hits and sophomore pitcher Jackie Traina allowed just one as the No. 2 ranked Alabama softball team downed Memphis, 8-0, in five innings Friday afternoon at Jaguar Field. With the win the Crimson Tide improves to 11-5 in opening day games and has now won seven of its last eight openers.
Senior Amanda Locke went 3-for-3 Friday with a solo homer down the left field line.
Traina allowed just a single hit in the second inning and shut down the Tigers the rest of the way as the sophomore fanned seven and walked two in an 87-pitch effort to open the Mardi Gras Invitational.
Locke paced Alabama at the plate with three hits, including a solo home run. The senior also ended the game when she tattooed the wall in left to score junior Kayla Braud in the fifth to secure the run-rule win.
Traina helped her own cause in the first when she hit a sac-fly to right to plate senior Jennifer Fenton and then after a quiet second inning, Alabama erupted for five runs to take a quick 6-0 lead.
Locke belted her first home run of the season, a laser that crept inside the foul pole for the second run of the game. Two batters later, sophomore Kaila Hunt hit a two-run liner down the line in left to move the lead to 4-0.
Braud then capped off the inning when she singled to left-center to bring home senior Kendall Dawson and freshman Danae Hays.
Before Locke ended the game in the fifth, Fenton hit a sac-fly to center that scored senior Jazlyn Lunceford.
Braud finished the season opener with a run, two RBI and two stolen bases. Alabama stole five bases, collected eight hits, walked nine times and only struck out once.
Alabama will return to action at the Mardi Gras Invitational for two games on Saturday as it plays Lipscomb and host South Alabama. The Tide opens the day against the Bison at 3 p.m., and then plays the Jaguars at 5:30 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live on 90.7 and online at wvuafm.ua.edu.
Release and Photos Courtesy UA Athletics
