Recap: Alabama Softball vs. South Carolina

No. 14 Alabama Softball concluded its regular season with a tough 2-1 series loss against No. 12 South Carolina on Saturday. They began strongly with a 13-1 victory in Game 1 but faced a 3-1 defeat in Game 2 and a 7-2 loss in Game 3, which shortened due to bad weather.

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In Game 1, the Crimson Tide came out swinging, scoring one run in the first inning and then exploding for 10 runs in the second, with 13 batters stepping up to the plate. The Gamecocks managed to score their only run in the bottom of the second. The Crimson Tide added two more runs in the fourth, sealing a 13-1 victory in the fifth inning.

Game 2 was a tighter contest, with both teams scoreless until the Gamecocks blasted a three-run homer to take a 3-0 lead. The game was paused in the third inning due to rain and continued on Saturday morning. The Gamecocks managed to hold the Crimson Tide until Marlie Giles hit a two-out RBI single, making it 3-1. Despite their efforts, the Crimson Tide couldn't tie or take the lead, ending the game with a 3-1 loss.

In Game 3, Salen Hawkins put the Crimson Tide ahead in the second inning, making it 1-0. However, the Gamecocks took advantage, with a two-out single bringing two runners home, giving them a 2-1 lead. They extended their lead with a two-run double, making it 4-1, and added another run to close out the inning at 5-1. In the third, Kali Heivilin's RBI single reduced the Gamecocks' lead, but the Gamecocks responded with two runs in the fourth, leading 7-2. The game was then delayed in the bottom of the fifth due to weather, and the Gamecocks clinched a 7-2 victory in the series decider.

Looking ahead, the Crimson Tide is heading into the Southeastern Conference tournament this week. They're kicking off the series against their in-state rivals, the Auburn Tigers, in Game 3, which will start 35 minutes after the Ole Miss vs. Missouri game ends.

The tournament will be held from May 6-10 at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Georgia.