Wildcats Wreck Tide in Series Finale

The Alabama Crimson Tide softball team lost to the Kentucky Wildcats 9-4 in the series finale on Sunday afternoon. The Tide is now 24-4 on the season and 12-2 at home. 

"There has got to be a safety base at first base and college softball. There are way too many season ending injuries. There could have been two today. And it's absolutely ridiculous that NCAA softball cannot mandate a safety base. It's in the Olympics. It's in high school ball everywhere across the country. And it's a $300 safety investment for a student athlete," said Alabama softball head coach Patrick Murphy.

The Wildcats got on the board first, with a solo home run by third baseman Miranda Stoddard in the top of the second inning. 

The Tide had a hat trick of hits to take the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Shortstop Bailey Dowling would tie it up with a leadoff solo home run; right fielder Kat Grill followed that up with a double; Grill gave the Tide the lead, scoring during center fielder Dallis Goodnight’s run. Goodnight reached on a throwing error and collided with Wildcats first baseman Taylor Ebbs. Both were checked out on the field and remained in the game; third baseman Ashley Prange hit an RBI double to extend the Tide’s lead 3-1 after two innings. 

Kentucky fought back, picking up two runs in the top of the third to grab the lead back. Fouts loaded up the bases with no outs to start the inning. Shortstop Erin Coffel hits a two-run double to tie the game; then, Stoddard hits a bases-clearing single to extend the lead. 

Fouts exited the game after 2.1 innings pitched, picking up: six hits, five earned runs, one walk, and four strikeouts. Lexi Kilfoyl entered in relief of Fouts.

https://twitter.com/AlabamaSB/status/1505622435894284294?s=20&t=xvjZ0W19HW1e9IrpzYtxow

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The Tide bats went ice cold, only seeing one hit from the third inning to the sixth inning.

Kentucky catcher Kayla Kowalik hits an RBI single to extend the Wildcats lead 6-3 in the top of the fourth inning. 

In the top of the fifth inning, Wildcats second baseman Emmy Blane hit an RBI single, and designated player Kennedy Sullivan scored on a throwing error to extend Kentucky’s lead 8-3.

Jaala Torrence entered the game for Kilfoyl after three innings pitched, five hits, three earned runs, three walks, and four strikeouts.

Wildcats pinch hitter Tatum Spangler finished off the defeat with an RBI single, adding Kentucky’s ninth and final run to the board in the top of the sixth inning.

Torrence finished the afternoon pitching 1.2 innings; picking up one hit, two walks, one strikeout, and no runs.

Alabama tried to get something cooking in the bottom of the seventh inning; Goodnight with a leadoff base hit, and going to second on a throwing error; pinch hitter Megan Bloodworth with a single; pinch hitter Kali Heivilin with an RBI groundout to add another run to the board for the Tide. Unfortunately for Alabama, the deficit was too large to come back from. 

The Alabama Crimson Tide travels to Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday night to take on the UAB Blazers. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CST. Radio coverage will be on Me TV 97.5.