Bloodworth Blasts Game-Winning Home Run over Texas

The Crimson Tide used the late home run from the freshman to beat the Longhorns 5-4.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — For just the second time this season, Alabama was tied after five innings. And once again, it was a clutch home run that helped the Crimson Tide take the late lead. 

This time it was freshman Megan Bloodworth who crushed her fifth home run of the year to deep left field with one out in the bottom of the sixth to give Alabama the 5-4 lead. It would prove the game winner as starter Montana Fouts got three quick outs in the top of the seventh for the 5-4 win over Texas Friday night at Rhoads Stadium. 

Alabama (17-0) head coach Patrick Murphy said this comes as no surprise to the team because it's exactly what Bloodworth does in practice each day.

"I was just thinking let her throw me a pitch," Bloodworth said. "Let me hit what I can hit, whatever she throws. If it’s not for me, don’t swing.”

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— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) March 5, 2022

Unfortunately for Longhorn starter Sophia Simpson, it was something Bloodworth could hit as Bloodworth connected with the ball for her first career home run at Rhoads Stadium that got the sellout crowd on its feet.

"My favorite part was when I rounded third and you look at the dugout and everyone’s just going crazy," Bloodworth said.

Until the sixth inning, Alabama had gotten no production from the bottom of its lineup and five of its six hits had come from Dallis Goodnight and Ally Shipman. 

After going 2-2 with a walk and stolen base, Goodnight's average is up to .521. She collected seven hits at the Mardi Gras Mambo last weekend.

"Dallis was great," Murphy said. "She’s been really, really good in the two-spot for two weekends now. She's just been on a tear.”

Another player on a tear for the Tide is Shipman. With two more RBIs against the Longhorns, Shipman is up to 23 on the season. Murphy said she's exactly the type of player you want batting cleanup.

With a little help from Ashley Prange and Kaylee Tow, Shipman and Goodnight combined to put the first runs of the game on the board for the Crimson Tide. A one-out single from Shipman aided by a Texas error scored two runs, and then Tow drove Shipman in to give Alabama the 3-0 lead in the first inning. 

Shipman once again drove in Goodnight in the third with a double out to the gap in right centerfield. 

The Longhorns (10-8) were a preseason top-10 team, but struggled at the Clearwater Elite Invitational in mid-February, but showed the fight and resilience of a top-10 team Friday night. 

Texas put up seven hits and three earned runs on Fouts, both season highs for the Alabama pitcher. The Longhorns got two-run home runs from Alyssa Washington and Katie Cimusz to score their four runs. Cimusz's home run tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth. 

Murphy acknowledged that it obviously wasn't Fouts' best game, but she battled and gave her team a chance to win, which is ultimately what the team asks of her. She still finished with nine strikeouts and her ERA increased to barely over one at 1.09.

"I saw a whole lot of grit, and that's nothing new with Montana," Shipman said. "We know that’s in her, and she works so hard off the field, on the field, everything, so just for her to step up in these moments, it’s not a surprise because she’s worked for it.”

Murphy said the back-and-forth game was good for his team to experience a high-pressured, anxiety-inducing type atmosphere this early in the season, especially at home with the home crowd behind them.

The Crimson Tide and Longhorns will meet again on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in front of another soldout crowd in Tuscaloosa. Alabama will then take on Miami (OH) approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

"I think they'll bring the energy just like they did tonight," Shipman said about Texas. "I think they like the crowd out here at Rhoads House, which is uncommon, but we like it too.”

Alabama Athletics