Alabama softball takes four of five at Candrea Classic: Takeaways from opening weekend

Alabama softball kicked off its 2025 season in the Candrea Classic, winning four of its five games in Tucson, Arizona.

The Crimson Tide opened Classic play with a 5-1 win over No. 22/RV Washington and a 6-2 win over Michigan State on Friday. Saturday saw Alabama defeat Washington for a second time, 7-3, before falling to No. 16 Arizona, 9-1, in five innings. The Crimson Tide closed out play in Arizona with a 14-5 win over Western Michigan in six innings.

Here are observations and takeaways from Alabama softball’s (4-1) opening weekend in Arizona at the Candrea Classic.

Alabama softball notches come-from-behind wins over Washington, Western Michigan

Alabama saw itself trailing Washington 1-0 in the first inning behind a first-pitch solo home run for the Huskies. The Crimson Tide, though, quickly rallied back, tying in the game in the bottom of the second inning behind an Audrey Vandagriff RBI double. Alabama took the lead with a three-run third inning, adding an insurance run in the sixth inning to claim 5-1 victory.

Alabama found itself trailing early in Saturday’s game after a three-run home run by Alexis DeBoer in the first inning. Alabama cut into the lead with a Larissa Preuitt solo home run in the fourth inning, going onto take the lead two innings later behind a Brooke Ellestad three-run home run. The Crimson Tide added three more runs in the seventh behind two Alexis Pupillo RBIs, going onto close out the game with seven unanswered runs and a 7-3 victory.

Alabama was up 2-0 over Western Michigan on Sunday, with the Broncos scoring three runs in the first inning to take a 3-2 lead. This lead lasted for less than half an inning, as Alabama responded with five runs in the second to regain a 7-3 lead, which it never relinquished.

Transfers, freshmen make an impact

On opening day, true freshman Vandagriff led Alabama bats along with Marlie Giles, each collecting three hits on the day. Mari Hubbard, another true freshman, led the Crimson Tide with three RBIs on the day while transfers Alexis Pupillo and Catelyn Riley each added home runs.

Ellestad, a transfer, led Alabama with three RBIs behind her three-run bomb in Saturday’s game against the Huskies. Vandagriff had another big day against the Broncos, going 2-for-3 from the plate with three RBIs and setting a school-record with five stolen bases. Freshman Kennedy Marceaux also launched her first career home run, a three-run bomb against the Broncos, while Pupillo had a hit in each of Alabama’s five games on the weekend.