No. 11/12 Baylor softball (7-0) grabbed an early lead and never looked back, knocking off No. 9/9 Alabama, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
Gia Rodoni (4-0) continued exerting complete dominance over opposing batters, spinning a complete game, allowing just four hits and one run over the 7.0 innings. She piled up eight strikeouts and allowed only two walks in the winning effort.
Jessie Scroggins led the way for the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored, facing two-time All-American pitcher Alexis Osorio.
The Baylor bats took the early lead, scoring the only two runs needed in the bottom of the first.
Scroggins led off with a double, with Kyla Walker following up with a walk.
Goose McGlaun moved them both into scoring position, leading into to a two-out at bat for Carlee Wallace.
The senior catcher dropped an infield single between the Bama shortstop and third baseman, with the ball taking a BU-friendly bounce and a kick out of reach, allowing both Scroggins and Walker to score on the play.
Alabama would cut back with a solo home run in the third, but Rodoni kept the Crimson Tide completely under wraps.
UA had late opportunities, with a leadoff single in the sixth and a stolen base putting a runner on second with no outs.
Two strikeouts and a ground out ended the threat, leaving the Lady Bears three outs away entering the seventh.
Back-to-back singles for Bama put runners on second and third and with one out, putting the pressure on.
A swinging strikeout and infield popup got Rodoni and the Lady Bears out of trouble and hanging on for the 2-1 win over the Crimson Tide.
