Alabama freshman Madi Moore earned the win in the circle, throwing 4.1 hitless innings.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama’s three pitchers combined to throw the 26th no-hitter in program history Tuesday night, defeating UAB 7-0.
Alabama (5-1) freshman Madi Moore (3-0) would earn the win in the circle, throwing 4.1 hitless innings while Sydney Littlejohn and Alexis Osorio combined with 2.2 hitless innings in relief. The Alabama offense backed up the stellar pitching effort with seven runs on seven hits, including the first career hit for freshman Merris Schroder. Kallie Case drove in two of the Tide’s seven runs while Sydney Booker scored twice.
UAB (1-5) had no answer to the Tide pitching staff, with JoJo Fallen as the Blazers’ only baserunner, drawing two walks. Starter Madison Hir (1-2) was one of four pitchers to see time in the game, taking the loss after 3.1 innings with three earned runs allowed.
After not hitting a single home run on opening weekend, the Tide blasted back-to-back long balls with two out in the top of the second, as solo shots by Carrigan Fain and Chandler Dare gave Alabama an early 2-0 lead. Marisa Runyon tacked on another run with two out in the top of the third, roping an RBI double up the middle to make it 3-0.
With one on and one out in the top of the fourth, UAB made the call to the bullpen as Megan Smith entered to pitch. Smith and the Blazer defense got out of the half-inning but could not cut into Alabama’s lead in the bottom half as the Tide held onto the shutout through four innings.
Alabama further extended its lead in the top of the fifth after a squeeze bunt by Case scored Booker from third base and made it 4-0. Later with the bases loaded, Reagan Dykes drew a walk to make it 5-0 as the Blazers turned to its third pitcher of the night in Cara Goodwin. She would get UAB out of the jam, forcing a popup to strand the bases loaded with Alabama now leading by five.
A UAB groundout went for out number one in the bottom of the fifth, which ended Moore’s outing in the circle as Littlejohn entered to pitch and would retire the next two batters to end the inning. A long fly ball by Demi Turner in the top of the sixth allowed Booker to tag up and score from third on the sacrifice fly and Case followed that with an RBI double to make it 7-0. Tori Perkins entered as the Blazers’ fourth pitcher of the day and, after a walk, a fly out would end the half-inning.
With two out in the bottom of the sixth, Osorio entered to pitch for Alabama and induced a groundout to end the inning. Alabama could not add to its lead in the top of the seventh but a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh capped the combined no-hitter.
