TUSCALOOSA Ala. — A mere 10 minutes after losing Game 1 of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional, Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy predicted the future.
After the Crimson Tide failed to get what he would call "the key hit" that separates a win from a loss in postseason softball on Friday, Murphy's confidence was unshaken when it came to his team.
"There's going to be a legend tomorrow night that will come up with a hit and you guys will remember her name for a long time," Murphy said on Friday. "I'm confident in that."
Just as the 25-year head coach finished his sentence, Alabama's third basemen Ashley Prange turned her head toward Murphy with an undeterred look on her face. At that moment, unbeknownst to the media sitting in the press room, Prange shook her head in agreement and in a way accepted the challenge to become that legendary figure.
Less than 24 hours later, the fifth-year senior had her chance.
In the top of the seventh inning with the game tied at one, the New Palestine, Indiana native dug into the batter's box with Larissa Preuitt on second base and one out in the frame. About 43 feet away from Prange was Northwestern's ace, Danielle Williams. Coming into Saturday's game Alabama's slugger was 3-for-8 all-time against Williams dating back to her days with Ohio State.
Prange used her familiarity against the Big 10 Pitcher of the Year to her advantage going 2-for-3 including in the loss to Northwestern on Friday and was going to need an extra-base hit to score Preuitt in Game 2. On the third pitch of her at-bat, Prange drove the ball into center field, scoring the runner on second and then getting herself into scoring position on the throw to the plate.
"The only thing I said to any of the coaches before that at-bat was, 'I'm gonna get this ball out front' because I'd gotten jammed on an inside pitch my last at-bat," Prange said. "So I was kind of hunting that pitch. ... I just wanted to hit something up the middle and try to at least give us a chance to score a run."
The run proved to be the proverbial nail in the coffin for the Wildcats as Alabama ace Montana Fouts went perfect in her 2 2/3 innings in relief as the Crimson Tide held onto a 2-1 victory. Prange's hit also highlighted a bit of the game within the game decisions made by both teams. Before first pitch, Murphy made three lineup changes most notably moving Prange to the lead-off spot, a place she hit from for most of last season.
Murphy said after the game that Prange was Alabama's best hitter statistically and noted during the postseason "you want your best hitter to have the most at-bats and that's leadoff." Northwestern's head coach Kate Drohan had a plan of her own, opting to pitch to Prange even with first base open.
After the game, Drohan defended her decision to not intentionally walk the two-time First Team All-SEC selection.
"We wanted to throw tough pitches, we wanted to challenge her a little bit and she came through for her team," Drohan said. "Another tough game and I credit Alabama. They got one more timely hit than us tonight and that was the difference in the ballgame."
Alabama went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position but the lone hit was enough to send the series to a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday at 3 p.m. For Prange and the five other seniors, it represents one more time to play in front of the home crowd at Rhoads Stadium, a notion that wasn't lost on the third basemen when she was asked about it after the game.
"Just to even be in this atmosphere is a blessing. I never thought I would be here," Prange said. "If you'd asked me two years ago if I would be here, I probably would have told you no. It's super surreal and I'm super thankful to be spending time with these girls because like I said, they mean the world to me."
