Kayla Beaver held Tennessee to a season-low two hits and zero runs as Alabama softball avoided the series sweep vs. No. 3 Tennessee, winning the series finale 1-0.

With the win, Alabama was able to avoid being swept in conference play for the first time since 2013. The Crimson Tide dropped the series opener on Friday night by a score of 5-0 followed by a 2-0 loss on Saturday, before bouncing back and taking the series finale.

Here are takeaways and observations from Alabama softball’s (32-14, 9-12 SEC) series vs. Tennessee (37-9, 16-5 SEC):

Alabama softball vs. Tennessee pitching staff

Tennessee’s pitching staff ranks first in the country with a 1.33 ERA. Individually, Lady Vols pitchers Payton Gottshall (1.07 ERA) and Karlyn Pickens (1.12) each rank within the top-10 in the country in individual ERA.

Alabama faced Gottshall in the series opener and finale. In the series opener, Gottshall held Alabama scoreless and allowed three hits across 7.0 innings, one hit apiece by Kali Heivilin, Kristen White and Bailey Dowling. In the series finale, Gottshall allowed four Alabama hits — two from Kenleigh Cahalan one from White and Lauren Esman — and one run across 4⅔ innings pitched.

On Saturday, Pickens started in the circle for the Lady Vols and held Alabama scoreless and to a season-low one hit. Its the second time with one hit this season, the first time coming in a 2-0 loss vs. Florida on March 9. Kristen White got the lone hit for the Crimson Tide, coming off of a sixth inning bunt single to break the possible no-hitter, which would have been Alabama’s first no-hit loss since April 20, 2004.

Freshman pitcher Jocelyn Briski throws second-straight complete game

Jocelyn Briski started in the circle for Alabama on Saturday in her third SEC start. It was another strong performance from the freshman after her outing vs. Arkansas last week, allowing just one earned run for the second-straight game over seven innings pitched. It was also her fourth complete game of the season in her eighth career start.

Tennessee’s first run on Saturday was unearned, coming from a two-out RBI single in the second inning. Its second run came from a solo home run in the fourth inning. Briski also struck out two batters and did not allow a walk.

“Jocelyn Briski gave us a great start,’ coach Patrick Murphy said after Saturday’s game. “She has been excellent over the past few weeks and she gave us a good enough start to win the game tonight.” 

Briski has begun to emerge as the No. 2 pitcher on the Alabama staff, alongside ace pitcher Kayla Beaver. Over the last two conference series, Beaver has gotten the start in the series opener and finale, with Briski starting in the second game of the series.

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2024 SCHEDULE: Alabama softball schedule 2024: Here’s a list of every game with dates, times and locations

27 scoreless innings drought ends in series finale

Prior to Sunday’s fifth inning run, the Crimson Tide had been held scoreless for 27-straight innings, its last run dating back to their April 20 contest at Arkansas which they won 5-1.

Kristen White broke the Crimson Tide’s scoreless drought in the series finale with an RBI single that brought home Kenleigh Cahalan, who had reached base on a two-out triple. It was White’s second RBI of the year, and she finished the game 2-for-3 from the plate for the Crimson Tide.

“I’m glad that I could get the job done in that moment” White said after Sunday’s game. “There was not a doubt in my mind that I could get it done for my team, so I am glad that I did.”

What’s next?

Alabama closes out regular season play next week in a three-game conference series at Auburn, with the series starting on Thursday and ending Saturday. The SEC softball tournament is slated for the week after next, going May 7-11 in Auburn.

Anna Snyder covers high school sports and University of Alabama softball and football recruiting for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at asnyder@gannett.com. Follow her on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @annaesnyder2

This is a guest opinion column

Governor Kay Ivey and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter’s recent comments in the media attacking unions are nothing but outright lies from politicians who are afraid of workers having even a little power to better their lives. They both called the United Auto Workers (UAW) a “dangerous leech” this week, just days after Gov. Ivey released a statement—alongside a couple other bought-and-paid-for lawmakers who are in the pocket of big corporations—claiming unions are special interest groups here to “threaten our jobs and the values we live by.”

I’m here to set the record straight as a proud union man born and raised here in Gadsden. My grandfather was a union member, my father was a union member and I was a member of the United Steelworkers for well over 30 years. So, as a third generation factory worker in Alabama who grew up walking picket lines with my dad and listening to my granddaddy’s stories about life before he had a union contract, I can tell you this: these out-of-touch lawmakers who collect taxpayer-funded salaries but don’t lift a finger to help their hardworking constituents are the real leeches.

For my family, a union card meant a lot of things. It meant better protections from serious injuries or death on the job so you could always make it home safe after a shift to see your kids. It meant equal pay for equal work, no matter who you were, because if you put in an honest day’s labor, you deserve a fair wage. It meant regular raises so you could always put food on the table and keep a roof over your head even if inflation was high. It meant dignity at work and getting the basic level of respect you deserve. And it meant job security so you couldn’t be fired out-of-the-blue for no good reason and end up on the streets. Those are union values and, if you ask me, they’re Alabama values.

When we have union jobs in our towns, it raises everyone’s quality of life. If you don’t believe me, let’s look at the economics real quick. A fair, competitive wage at a stable job means more folks are able to support our local businesses and give their tithings in church. It also means more tax revenue to spend on funding our schools, repairing our roads and paying essential public servants like firefighters. A union-protected job also means the state will be able to spend less on unemployment benefits or food stamps because more and more working families will be able to support themselves with dignity. When I was a Steelworker, my union siblings and I knew that to whom much is given, much will be required. That’s why we always donated to United Way, gave back to charities and sponsored local youth sport leagues. Because the benefits of a union don’t stop at a member’s paycheck. It impacts a whole community, across generations.

Corporations and the politicians they bankroll want to keep workers divided and afraid of demanding the rights and freedoms we deserve. They’re working overtime right now to spread fear and lies so bosses can keep paying poverty wages while they rake in record profits. But the Alabama AFL-CIO sees right through this charade and I know the honest, hardworking people of Alabama can see through it too. When workers stand together in unions to bargain for good wages, quality benefits and their fair share of corporate profits, we have the power not just to change our own lives, but the lives of our neighbors and communities, too.

Bren Riley is president of the Alabama AFL-CIO, the state’s largest labor federation, representing tens of thousands of union members across different sectors of the economy.

The NFL Draft came to a conclusion after seven rounds and three days on Saturday afternoon, and it featured plenty of names that came from The University of Alabama.

The Crimson Tide had 10 players taken in the draft, good enough for third among all schools, trailing only Michigan and Texas. Of those 10, three went in the first round: JC Latham (Titans), Dallas Turner (Vikings) and Terrion Arnold (Lions).

After Day 1, Alabama had seven players selected over the next two days: Kool-Aid McKinstry (Saints), Chris Braswell (Bucs), Jermaine Burton (Bengals), Justin Eboigbe (Chargers), Jase McClellan (Falcons), Will Reichard (Vikings), and Jaylen Key (Jets). Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban ends his career with an incredible 47 first round picks from Alabama, and moved into third place all-time for total number of drafted players.

Today’s Crimson Tide Schedule:

• Softball: vs No. 3 Tennessee, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 1 p.m. CT, ESPN2

Crimson Tide Results:

• Rowing: Alabama rowing finished its regular season at the Lake Wheeler Invitational in Raleigh, N.C. on Saturday, picking up one first-place finish and 11 top-two finishes.
• Men’s Golf: 8-seed Alabama fell in the quarterfinals of match play of the SEC Championships to 1-seed Auburn, by a final score of 3-2.
• Baseball: Alabama 10, Ole Miss 3
• Softball: No. 3 Tennessee 2, No. 17 Alabama 0

Did you notice?

• With the Minnesota Vikings’ selection of Will Reichard in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban now has had a player drafted at every position in football, including specialists such as kicker, punter, and long snapper.

• A couple Alabama football transfers were taken on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, with former Alabama cornerback Khyree Jackson being taken by the Vikings and former Alabama wide receiver Javon Baker being taken by the Patriots.

• In a playoff loss to the OKC Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones scored 15 points. The Pelicans trail the series 3-0 and are on the verge of being swept by the 1-seed in the West.

Countdown to Crimson Tide’s 2024 Football Season Opener:

127 days

On This Day in Crimson Tide History:

April 28, 1991: Athletic director Hootie Ingram announced the Centennial Committee had chosen “Century of Champions” as the official theme for the upcoming celebration of Alabama’s 100 years of football. Ingram made the announcement at the annual Football Media Weekend hosted by head coach Gene Stallings and the athletic department.

April 28, 2017: Former Crimson Tide players cornerback Marlon Humphrey, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, tight end O.J. Howard and linebacker Reuben Foster were all selected in the first round of the NFL draft.

Crimson Tide Quote of the Day:

“I was shocked. I expected it to be a whole lot tougher. But we rattled them before they could think clearly.” – Antonio Langham after Alabama defeated Miami in the 1993 Sugar Bowl for the national championship.

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