Patrick Murphy reveals how Alabama offense can better attack Lady Vols ace Ashley Rogers

The Women’s College World Series is underway, with Alabama and Tennessee starting things off after facing each other three times in the regular season and once in the SEC Tournament.

Tennessee took three of those four meetings and leads 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Alabama has had some trouble getting to Tennessee starting pitcher Ashley Rogers, who had surrendered just three hits and two runs in four full innings of work. Crimson Tide coach Patrick Murphy broke down the adjustment his players need to make at the plate.

“I think we’re trying to hit the inside pitch too often,” Murphy said. “It’s probably a really good screwball that we’re either pulling foul or we’re getting jammed to the shortstop, so we need to get off the plate or just let it go.”

Tennessee jumped out to an early lead in the second inning of the Women’s College World Series matchup when a pair of two-RBI doubles by right fielder Katie Taylor and third baseman Zaida Puni put the Volunteers up 4-0.

The Volunteers would add two more runs in the bottom of the third inning.

That scoring rally started when left fielder Rylie West led off the inning with a single to second base and then Jamison Brockenbrough hit a home run over the center field wall. That put Tennessee up 6-2.

Tennessee chases Jaala Torrence

The early onslaught by the Volunteers at the Women’s College World Series caused the Crimson Tide to lift starting pitcher Jaala Torrence early.

The Alabama starter went just 2.1 innings, giving up six runs on six hits. She struck out three and walked one, facing 15 batters on the afternoon before she was yanked.

Murphy turned things over to pitcher Alex Salter, who was responsible for the lone win against Tennessee this year.

“Well they were on a 20-game winning streak at the time and we went in there and we needed that win,” Murphy said of Salter’s last appearance against the Vols. “It was a Saturday game. We gave up two runs in the first inning and then after that she shut them out.”

Murphy liked what he saw from Salter after she went in to replace Torrence, getting two outs quickly to get out of the third inning at the Women’s College World Series.

“Her change-up was awesome, and then the last pitch she threw, she threw the last inning, was a nasty, nasty drop ball,” Murphy said. “So if those two pitches are working for her today, look for her to shine.”