Alabama

Alabama takes down No. 3 Tennessee 1-0 in series finale to avoid sweep: Observations, takeaways

Published

2 weeks ago

April 28, 2024

Alabama takes down No. 3 Tennessee 1-0 in series finale to avoid sweep: Observations, takeaways

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

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Alabama

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey talks unionization and gambling in Huntsville speech

Published

58 mins ago

May 14, 2024

Press Room

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey talks unionization and gambling in Huntsville speech

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – Governor Kay Ivey spoke in Huntsville on Monday and maintained her stance against auto workers unionizing.

During her speech, Ivey said, “Alabama is not Michigan, Huntsville and Tuscaloosa are not Detroit.”

A rally is set for Monday night in Montgomery to support Hyundai workers who are attempting to join the United Auto Workers union.

She said these unionization efforts could open Alabama plants up to layoffs and even closures.

Ivey also touched on lawmakers’ failed attempt to legalize gambling. She says she was hoping the issues would be on your ballot this fall, but it just wasnt in the cards.

“Gambling, if it comes up we’ll deal with it again,” Ivey said. “My interest in that bill was to give the people the chance to vote and I’m sorry they didnt get that chance.”

Ivey ended her speech touting her efforts to boost education and broadband access across the state.

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Alabama

Here's why Bob Baumhower calls Alabama home – Alabama News Center

Published

8 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Press Room

Here's why Bob Baumhower calls Alabama home – Alabama News Center

He might have been born in Virginia, but Bob Baumhower is one of Alabama’s favorite legends. From his time playing for Coach Bear Bryant to his current role as CEO of Aloha Hospitality, Baumhower is passionate about giving his all to the state he calls home. “When we moved to Tuscaloosa, I was

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Alabama

Alabama Mercedes-Benz workers vote to join UAW union this week – Marketplace

Published

15 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Press Room

Alabama Mercedes-Benz workers vote to join UAW union this week – Marketplace

Following a big union win at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee last month, United Auto Workers union now faces another major test of its Southern organizing strategy.

Starting Monday, around 5,200 workers at a Mercedes-Benz assembly-and-battery complex near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, will begin voting on whether to join the UAW.

Other unions are also trying to make inroads in the region, known for its right-to-work laws and historical resistance to unions.

I was changing planes in Atlanta — on my way to cover the UAW in Alabama — when I started hearing about unions trying to organize more workers in the South from airport wheelchair attendant Ka-Ron Jones, who was hanging out by my gate while I got my scruffy shoes shined.

“The cleaning companies, all the restaurants, Popeyes — we’re trying to make sure everybody gets unionized. Because everybody’s not getting paid what they should be paid,” Jones said.

There are efforts to organize workers at Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and at Amazon in Bessemer, Alabama.

But the point of the spear is the United Auto Workers’ $40 million campaign to unionize foreign-owned assembly plants across the South, said Harry Katz at the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

“A lot’s at stake — whether they can use the momentum from the VW vote to win at Mercedes and then try and organize other transplants,” he said. “But they’re going to face strong resistance by management.”

There’s been plenty of that at Mercedes in Alabama, said Jeremy Kimbrell, a 24-year veteran autoworker and leader of the UAW’s “Vote Yes” campaign.

“Every day, every supervisor has a meeting with their work group and either shows a video or reads off a card and tells the workers why they don’t need a union,” he said.

One such Mercedes-Benz video sounds like this: “During a strike, employees don’t get paid by their employer. And in the state of Alabama, striking employees don’t get unemployment.”

Mercedes-Benz didn’t comment for our story. Anti-union workers I spoke to say their top pay is comparable to UAW workers in the North and that they don’t need representation.

The message that unions aren’t welcome and might drive top employers out resonates with the region’s anti-union, right-to-work politics, per Cornell’s Harry Katz.

“There’s not a strong collectivist culture,” he said. “Workers don’t have experience with unions, family members that have been union members.”

Jeremy Kimbrell, though, does. And that’s one reason he’s been at the forefront of repeated union drives at Mercedes.

“Boils down to being raised by a dad who was in unions,” he said. “I know what the benefit of a union is. And if you’re not sitting down at the table and then agreeing to a binding contract — very doubtful you’re getting your best deal.”

The better deal Kimbrell wants is the lucrative pay and benefits autoworkers recently won at GM, Ford and Stellantis — after strikes and hardball negotiations led by a reinvigorated UAW.

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