Box Score TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Western Michigan softball team suffered a 3-1 loss at the University of Alabama Tuesday evening, as the No. 9 ranked Crimson Tide took the early lead at Rhoads Stadium. 
 
FINAL SCORE: Alabama 3, Western Michigan 1
LOCATION: Rhoads Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
RECORDS: Alabama (18-3) | Western Michigan (5-8)
W: Jaala Torrence (5-2) | L: Rissa Bajusz (2-2) | S: Montana Fouts (1)

Haley Boxwell registered the solo home run for Western Michigan to erase the Crimson Tide shutout. Boxwell's noteworthy homer marked the first of her career as a Broncos and snapped a 43-inning scoreless streak for Alabama softball this season. 
 
Alabama took the early lead over Western Michigan and held on for the entirety of the contest. The Crimson Tides' two runs in the first would hold for the next four innings.  
 
In the circle, Rissa Bajusz went the distance for the Broncos, pitching six complete innings to allow six hits, three earned runs, and five strikeouts. Two major strikeouts for the junior pitcher came in the third to help the Broncos hold the Crimson Tide at 2-0.
 
The score remained the same until the sixth inning when Boxwell ended Torrence's no-hit bid and the shutout with a solo home run to lead off the frame to make it 2-1. 
 
Bajusz and the Broncos put together four scoreless innings until faltering with two outs in the sixth. Alabama added a single-run RBI on a pinch-hit up the middle to claim the 3-1 lead and take the game.
 
Western Michigan continues its week in Alabama, heading to Jacksonville for the 2023 JSU Gamecock Invite hosted by Jacksonville State University. The Broncos will face the Gamecocks of Jacksonville and Samford University for a total of four games over the March 10-11 weekend. WMU's first contest of the weekend is a 6 pm battle on Friday, March 10 against JSU.