ORLANDO | Freshman Madi Moore, a former state Miss Softball at Winfield High School, pitched the fifth-ranked University of Alabama to a season-opening 9-1 victory over Fordham on Saturday in the UCF Knights Invitational.

The Crimson Tide lost the nightcap to No. 17 Central Florida, 8-1.

Moore (1-0) pitched all five innings in the first game, allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts.

Alabama won its sixth straight season opener, leading from start to finish and closing out with a five-run outburst in the fifth inning to invoke the mercy rule.

Maylie McCleney, Demi Turner and Leona Lafaele all had multiple hits. The trio combined for five of the team's six RBIs.

Kallie Case triopled in a run in the fourth and scored on an infield single by McCleney. Turner singled in two runs in the fifth.

Alabama reached Fordham starter Lauren Quense (0-1) for seven runs (three earned) on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

In the second game, UCF's Shelby Turnier (1-0) sturck out nine Tide batters and allowed one run on three hits. Tide starter Sydney Littlejohn (0-1) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on 11 hits. Alabama’s lone run in the game came on a sixth-inning RBI double by Lafaele, with Turner and Chandler Dare accounting for the Tide’s other two hits.

Alabama will play a pair of games today, opening against Rutgers (0-2) at 11 a.m. before facing No. 19 James Madison (2-0) at 3:30 p.m.