re: Bama Softball 38-18 (10-14) (2023-24)

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Alabama Shuts Out Tennessee, 1-0, in Sunday Series Finale

Kayla Beaver throws a complete-game shutout, Kristen White drives in the winning run

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Needing a win Sunday to avoid the series sweep, Alabama shut out third-ranked Tennessee, 1-0, in its final home game of the 2024 regular season.

The win is Alabama's (32-14, 9-12 SEC) second over a top-five opponent this season and just the third shutout loss this season for Tennessee (37-9, 16-5 SEC). The two teams battled through four scoreless innings to start the game, stranding a combined six runners on. With two out in the bottom of the fifth, Kenleigh Cahalan roped a triple into the right field corner and then Kristen White followed with a high slap single, beating out a quick throw to drive in the go-ahead run. The Lady Vols stranded a one-out single on base in the sixth and Kayla Beaver (15-7) retired them in order in the seventh with two strikeouts and a groundout as she flipped it to Emma Broadfoot at first for the final out.

Cahalan and White were both 2-for-3 at the top of the order, their ninth and fourth multi-hit games of the season, respectively. The fifth-inning triple was Cahalan's team-leading fourth of the season, the most for any Tide player since Sydney Booker matched that total in 2018. The shutout was Beaver's seventh of the season, striking out six with no walks while holding the Tennessee offense to just two hits, a pair of singles off the bat of Kiki Milloy.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy
"To have 100,000 fans here at Rhoads Stadium two years in a row makes my heart happy. I just want to say thanks to everyone who buys tickets and for coming day after day, weekend after weekend. It hasn't been the prettiest season so far, but the fans were always there, especially today. Today's game ball goes to Kayla Beaver. She was terrific, and to beat a good hitting team after seeing them on Friday was Montana Fouts-like. That was one of our best games against one of the best teams in the country. Both of Tennessee's hits came from their best player. It came down to our key two-out hit from Kristen White."

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