Alabama Softball Squanders Sweep in Seventh Inning at Ole Miss

The Crimson Tide blew a 4-1 lead in the final inning to drop the final game against the Rebels.

Alabama Athletics

All signs were pointing toward Alabama's second sweep of SEC play. The Crimson Tide held a 4-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh, and the bottom third of the lineup was due up for Ole Miss.

But relief pitcher Jaala Torrence gave up back-to-back home runs to open the final frame as the Rebels cut the Alabama lead to one run. 

Montana Fouts came in with no outs to try and collect her first save of SEC play. She retired the first batter she faced, but things spiraled from there. A bunt single and miscommunication on a groundball on defense had two runners on. 

An RBI-single up the middle from Paige Smith tied the game, and Mya Stevenson came through with the clutch, walk-off double in the gap to win the game 5-4 for Ole Miss. 

Fouts takes the loss in relief. Alex Salter started the game, and only allowed one run on a solo home run in four innings of work. Torrence came in to start the fifth inning and had only allowed a single before the fateful seventh inning. 

The collapse in the circle wasted one of Alabama's better days at the plate. The offense reached double-digit hits for just the fourth time in SEC play. Kali Heivilin went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs. Her solo home run came one pitch after Marlie Giles was called out for leaving the base early, so it could have been an extra run for the Crimson Tide. 

Larissa Preuitt continued her hot weekend at the plate with three more hits, and her RBI-single in the fifth inning put Alabama up 4-1. 

After the perfect game on Friday night to open the series, Alabama never could seem to recapture the same magic. The offense struggled in the second game until Jenna Johnson's three-run blast in the seventh, and the defense committed three errors over the final two games. 

Alabama had the chance to be riding into the SEC Tournament feeling really good about its recent performance on a four-game winning streak. Instead, the regular season ends on a sour note with the 10th loss of conference play and an overall 38-17 record. This is the most regular season losses for Alabama since 2018. 

The SEC Tournament begins Tuesday with the 12/13 play-in game. Alabama will begin play Wednesday as the 5-seed, and will take on the winner of the play-in game between Mississippi State and Missouri.