ATHENS, Ga. – The second ranked Alabama softball team secured its seventh straight series victory over No. 13 Georgia with a 6-4 win Saturday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium. With the victory, the Crimson Tide improves to 42-4 overall and 19-3 in Southeastern Conference play. The Bulldogs drop to 35-12 on the year and 13-9 in league action.
Senior Amanda Locke got the job done in the circle and at the plate as she tossed her longest outing since her freshman season in 2009. The right-hander went 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits while striking out five.
At the plate, Locke batted 2-for-4, with a home run and three RBI. The Mesquite, Texas native batted .545 in the series with two home runs and six RBI.
Sophomore Jackie Traina earned her second save of the season as a three-run seventh inning spoiled what would have been just the third seven inning complete game for Locke in her career.
Alabama was outhit 10-7. Junior Kayla Braud scored two runs while senior Jazlyn Lunceford added a two-run homer. Senior Cassie Reilly-Boccia also went deep as the Tide smashed seven home runs in the series.
Locke helped her own cause by hitting her second home run in as many days, this time a two-run shot in the third inning to give Alabama an early 2-0 lead.
Georgia led off the fifth inning with pinch-hitter Anna Swafford and she cut the lead in half with a solo home run on a full count pitch.
Locke once again came through for the Tide, driving in a two-out insurance run in the seventh with a single up the middle to plate Braud. .
Alabama continued the two out rally in the seventh as Lunceford hit a two-run home run over the flag pole in center to expand the lead to 5-1. Reilly-Boccia then promptly followed that with a solo shot, drilling the second pitch inside the foul pole down the line in right to give Alabama a 6-1 lead.
Alabama will return home for a midweek contest against Troy before continuing on the road for SEC play. The Tide will host the Trojans on Wednesday, April 25, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m.
