Comeback Falls Short as Alabama Softball Loses to Texas 5-3

The Crimson Tide brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the seventh but could not complete the comeback.

AUSTIN, Texas – In a top-ten matchup to open action at the Bevo Classic, Alabama clawed back from a five-run deficit against Texas to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the seventh, but the rally fell just short as the Longhorns held on to defeat the Crimson Tide, 5-3.

Alabama (19-4) and Texas (19-2-1) were scoreless until the Longhorns hung a crooked number in the third, plating five runs on three hits and an error. The Tide was hitless until a two-out single from Kenleigh Cahalan in the fifth put runners on the corners and Ashley Prange erased the shutout in the next at-bat with a three-run home run to make it a 5-3 ballgame. With the score the same in the top of the seventh, Faith Hensley and Cahalan hit back-to-back singles with one out to bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate, but Texas got out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts to end the rally.

Cahalan was 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot, earning her fourth multi-hit game of the season and extending her hitting streak to seven games. Prange extended her own hitting streak to six games, smashing her team-leading ninth home run of the season and tying her season high with three RBIs. Montana Fouts (9-2) took the loss in the circle while Alex Salter backed her up with 3.0 shutout relief innings, holding the Longhorns to just three hits.

Alabama will play a doubleheader on Saturday, first against  Texas State at 12:30 p.m. CT, followed by a rematch against Texas at 6:30 p.m. CT. Both games will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.

See also: Alabama Blows Out Bulldogs on Way To SEC Tournament Semifinals

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