Alabama Crimson Tide Softball Sweeps Kentucky, Ties Oklahoma for SEC Lead

GAME 2: ALABAMA 5, KENTUCKY 4 – Close Call

This one was a pitcher’s duel for awhile. Each team struggled to get much of anything going until Bama had two outs in the 5th inning and starting leftfielder Lauren Johnson connected on a solid single ahead of Alexis Pupillo who crushed a ball into the stratosphere.

Kentucky struck back in the 6th against starting pitcher Vic Moten when the leadoff hitter kinda threw her bat at the ball and it made it’s way though the infield. A bloop single put two runners on with no outs. After a strikeout, the next Wildcat batter drilled a ball through the right side of the infield to make it 2-1. At this point, Bama coach Patrick Murphy may have panicked a little when he decided to bring in Jocelyn Briski to pitch instead of letting Moten work through the trouble. The first batter Briski faced fouled off several pitches in a long at bat before slapping a seeing-eye single through the right side that plated a pair of Wildcat runners. The next two batted balls found their way into Alabama gloves to end the threat.

With the Tide down 3-2 in the 6th, Murphy once again subbed in Larissa Preuitt for Ana Roman in right field.* Marlie Giles led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Jena Young. Audrey Vandagriff hit a sky high pop-up to left field. With two outs and a runner in scoring position, Preuitt grounded out to end the inning.

In the top of the 7th, Kentucky added to their lead when the leadoff hitter smacked a solo home run over the center field wall. It was the Wildcat batter’s second round-tripper of the season. The next three batters were retired without incident.

Down to their last three outs, Salen Hawkins doubled to open the final frame. Perhaps a little panic arose from Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson when she went to the bullpen after Sarah Haendiges had been tossing a spectacular game to that point. The new pitcher promptly threw a wild pitch that allowed Hawkins to advance to third base. Following a Johnson ground out, Pupillo walked and Lawson went back to her bullpen. The third UK pitcher of the inning gave up a sharp single to Brooke Wells that knocked Hawkins in and shrunk the ‘Cats lead to one run. After a walk to Ambrey Taylor, Giles hit a liner to the charging right fielder who appeared to make a shoestring catch. The umpire ruled it a catch and you really cannot blame the guy because by most accounts, it looked like a catch. Alabama challenged and upon replay, a bounce was detected from one side replay. The call was overturned and Giles was awarded a single with every runner moving up a base including the tying run. Young struck out for out number two which set up the dramatics.

With the bases jammed and two outs in a 4-4 game, Vandagriff showed off her blistering speed on a chopper to and beat the throw to first base as the walk-off winning run crossed home plate.

Just to show you how fast Vandagriff gets out of the box, check out where she is when this ball was fielded.

NOTES:

• Several of the Alabama batters were a bit baffled by the change-ups of UK’s Haendiges. It’s crazy to say that this deep into the season.
• It was Lo-Jo’s first appearance in a game since Sunday at Auburn. Her run-scoring single was her first hit since singling against Jacksonville State on March 25. Her hit snapped a 15 at bat no-hit streak and was her first hit in SEC play since Game 2 of the Ole Miss series way back on March 6.
• Montana Fouts was a guest announcer on the ESPN2 broadcast on Saturday.

GAME 3: ALABAMA 4, KENTUCKY 0

Kaitlyn Pallozzi (8-0) made a surprise start for the Crimson Tide in the finale and it paid off. The freshman hurler tossed 4.2 innings of 3-hit shutout ball to clinch the sweep.

Alabama got off to a great start Alexis Pupillo walked and Brooke Wells doubled her in. The Tide would end up loading the bases but could not add onto the lead in the 1st.

In the 2nd, Pupillo again walked but this time with two outs. Wells again doubled her in but this time, the Tide kept the scoring going when Marlie Giles singled her in.

As alluded to above, Pallozzi was lifted in the 5th after giving up a two out double. Jocelyn Briski entered the game and allowed only a single for her 2.1 innings of work to earn her second save of the year.

Jena Young walked to open the 5th and would make her way to third base on a pair of ground outs. A Salen Hawkins single would push the Bama lead to 4-0.

• Pupillo reached base in all four plate appearance with three walks and a single.
• Alabama had only six hits which came from four batters.
• The Crimson Tide uncharacteristically had errors from Young, Vandagriff, and Hawkins – the first time Bama has had three boots in a game in 2026. Fortunately, they did not lead to any runs.
• Like clockwork, Ana Roman was relieved in right field by Larissa Preuitt. The latter did not get a plate appearance.
• Abby Duchscherer came in for Wells at first base to open the 7th.
• For the second time in this series, Murphy pinch ran for Marlie Giles and Salen Hawkins for some reason.*
• Lauren Johnson got another start and went 0 for 3 but hit the ball hard.

[SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: The section below is not all rainbows, lollipops, and unicorns. If we see an issue that we deem worth discussing, RBR is not going to shy away from it. That is the MO that this whole website is based on. If you want sunshine pumped up your nether regions, there are PLENTY of those people more than willing to provide that service. If you are easily triggered, stop reading now and play the above video on repeat. If you live in the real world, carry on my wayward son.]

SERIES NOTES

• Daggum, it was so nice to see a free-swinging Vandagriff. This is what she could be all the time instead of all that bunt strategy nonsense that got put in her head.
• In reference to the asterisks (*) above, Murphy has been substituting in Preuitt for Roman a LOT lately. It is hard to know what is going on in his head (or Gut®) with that. I hope Roman is buying into the mudita because that could eat at a person. Preuitt is a senior. There is no need to worry about her feelings of riding the pine any more. Roman is just a freshman — and a freshman with a very high ceiling. Bama fans would not be happy to see her leave in the off-season.
• The pinch-running thing may not seem like a big issue for some folks. But it feels like Murphy slipping back into his old bad habit of mystery substitutions.
• There is something about Game 2’s that gets Salen Hawkins going. In the middle games of SEC series this season, the Tide shortstop is 8 of 16 (.500) with a double, two walks, and four runs scored. In the bookend Games 1 and 3, she is hitting .133 with a double, one walks, and one run scored.
• Some folks might lament Hawkins lighter hitting, but she is too valuable in the field to replace — not that the Crimson Tide really has anyone else who can reliable play short.
• Ambrey Taylor had a tough weekend at the plate, going 1 for 9 with five strikeouts.
• Kentucky is now 25-25 and 1-20 in the SEC.
• Alabama had a load of former Tide players on hand throughout the weekend to help celebrate the 30th year of Alabama softball. Among them were Montana Fouts, Haylie McCleney, Jenna Johnson, Kali Heivilin, and Kaylee Tow.

MVPs

• WELLS: 4-8, 1 HR, 2 DBL, 5 RBI, 2 RUNS (would have had more if not for all the PRs), 4 BB
• BRISKI: 7.2 IP, 1 WIN, 1 SAVE, 5 SINGLES, 1 DBL, 1 RUN (hr), 0 BB, 5 K, no WP and HBP.

OTHER STUFF

• Auburn surprisingly took one of three against Florida in Gainesville.
• Arkansas defeated Oklahoma one out of three in Norman. With the Okie loss, Alabama enters a tie for first place in the SEC at 15-3. We’ll see hoe the polls react on Tuesday.
• Madison, Alabama has been selected to host the SEC Softball Tournament for the next four years. Starting in 2027, the event will take place at the home stadium of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, a minor league AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. Previously, the tournament was rotated around the home campuses of member schools. You may recall, Madison hosted a successful invitational in 2025 that included Alabama facing Jax State. Auburn, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss also played participated in the week long event.

UPCOMING ALABAMA SCHEDULE

OH BOY! HERE WE GO! It’s a huge test for the Crimson Tide as they travel to Knoxville.

• Tue, Apr 21 at UAB 6pm/7pm
• Sat, Apr 25 at Tennessee 3pm/4pm
• Sun, Apr 26 at Tennessee 3pm/4pm
• Mon, Apr 27 at Tennessee 6pm/7pm

HOW TO WATCH… ALLEGEDLY

I don’t know why all three of these games with the Vols are not on one of the big networks, but we’re stuck streaming for the first game. Game 2 is on ESPN2 and the finale airs on SECN.

#RollTide #Team30