Alabama Softball Drops to Arkansas During SEC Opener

Seventh-inning run was the difference as Arkansas scored its first and only run to beat Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Similar to the beginning of the season, the SEC opener for the Alabama softball team didn't go as expected Friday night. 

Arkansas plated the only run of the game in the seventh inning, as the Crimson Tide took a 1-0 loss at Rhoads Stadium. 

“It is a long, long season and it is the most consistent team over 24 games that ends up being the champion in the long run,” Crimson Tide coach Patrick Murphy said. “We don’t need to get too low or too high, just stay even keeled. For the most part I don’t think any of our kids are like that. I don’t think anyone gets really, really high or too low, which includes me. You just need to stay even. 

"[Lexi] Kilfoyl needs to come back and give us a good game tomorrow."

Sophomore starter Montana Fouts (3-3) took the loss, giving up the run on eight hits, with five strikeouts while throwing 119 pitches. Although her ERA dropped to 1.91, she walked five and the Razorbacks left 12 runners on base. 

Arkansas pitcher, Autumn Storms (10-2), gave up five hits and only walked two. She struck out three and threw 110 pitches.

The No. 20 Razorbacks (17-4, 1-0 SEC) put the pressure on Alabama right away, loading the bases in the first inning, but Fouts got out of the jam without Arkansas scoring. 

Similarly, junior outfielder KB Sides nailed a single that advanced Skylar Wallace to third before Storms got out of the inning with a 6-4-3 double play. 

Sides ended up going 3-for-3, but was the only Alabama player with multiple hits. 

A diving catch from freshman center fielder Jenna Johnson ended the top of the fifth inning to help keep the game scoreless. 

The winning run came on a one-out single through the right side by junior Danielle Gibson, who went 4-for-4. Junior Hannah McEwen walked and took second base on a passed ball. Junior Braxton Burnside singled to center to advance McEwen to third to set up the key hit. 

No. 9 Alabama (12-8, 0-1 SEC) nearly rallied in the seventh, only to have it snuffed out by another 6-4-3 double play. 

Game two of the weekend is set for 2 p.m. CT on Saturday at Rhodes Stadium.