Live Updates: No. 3 Alabama Softball Opens Series Against No. 8 Kentucky

The Crimson Tide is looking to get back on track after suffering its first three losses of the season over the past week.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama softball is in need of a rebound after dropping three of its last five games. The No. 3 Crimson Tide dropped its SEC-opening series against then-No. 21 LSU last weekend. After securing a win over Southern Miss on Tuesday, it suffered a loss to No. 2 Florida State on Wednesday.

Alabama (22-3, 1-2 in the SEC) can get back on the right track today as it hosts No. 8 Kentucky (19-3) at 6 p.m. CT for the first game of a weekend series. The Crimson and Wildcats will play again Saturday at 2 p.m. before concluding the series Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Alabama will send Montana Fouts (12-0) to the circle for the series opener. The senior has a 1.13 earned run average and 114 strikeouts over 68⅓ innings pitched this season. Kentucky is staring with freshman Alexia Lacatena (5-0), who has a 1.68 earned run average over 25 innings pitched.

BamaCentral will be providing coverage all weekend long. Stay tuned here for live updates throughout Friday's matchups.

(Latest updates at the top)

Top 7 

• Fouts gets a ground out to begin the inning before getting a strikeout. Kentucky is down to its last out. 
• Ball game. Fouts gets a strikeout, and Alabama wins, 4-2. The Crimson Tide improves to 23-3, 2-2 in the SEC. Kentucky drops to 19-4, 0-1.

Bottom 6 

• Alabama strands a runner on first. The Crimson Tide will now turn to Fouts to secure the win in the seventh. 

Top  6

• Fouts retires the side in order again. That's 10 straight outs. It's still 4-2, Alabama.

Bottom 5

• Back-to-back one-out singles from Dallis Goodnight and Jenna Johnson chase Kentucky starter Alexia Lacatena out of the game. Kentucky brings in sophomore Stephanie Schoonover into the circle.

• Schoonover hits Ashley Prange to load the bases for Ally Shipman with one out. 
• Shipman delivers a two-run double to left field to give Alabama a 3-2 lead.
• Kaylee Tow brings in another run with a single to center, but Shipman is thrown out at the plate. It's 4-2 Alabama with two outs and a runner on first base.
• Izzy Harrison is in to pitch for Kentucky. 
• Bailey Dowling strikes out to end the inning, but not before Alabama takes a 4-2 lead. 

Top 5 

• Another 1-2-3 inning from Fouts as she gets two more strikeouts. 

Bottom 4 

• After Kaylee Tow grounded out to begin the inning, Bailey Dowling flies out to the warning track in left field. 

• Abby Doer delivers a two-out single.
• Jenna Lord ends the inning with a deep flyout to center field.

Top 4 

• Fouts strikes out the side. She has five strikeouts through four innings. It's still 2-1, Kentucky.

Bottom 3 

• Dallis Goodnight singled down the left-field line to start the inning for Alabama.

• Jenna Johnson fouled into a double play as Kentucky catcher Kayla Kowalik caught a pop up before firing it to second to gun down Goodnight trying to tag up and advance to second. 
• Alabama pays for the base-running decision as Ashley Prange doubled to right on a ball that would have likely scored Goodnight from first. Ally Shipman grounded out to end the inning. It's still 2-1, Kentucky.

Top 3

• After putting two runners on with a pair of singles, Kentucky took the lead as Erin Coeffel provided a two-out RBI single to right to score one. The Wildcats were able to take the lead as Alabama third baseman Ashley Prange's throw to second hit the umpire allowing the go-ahead run to score. 

• Fouts struck out the next batter to limit the damage to two runs. It's 2-1, Kentucky.

Bottom 2

• Jenna Lord reached first base on a two-out error as Kentucky Taylor Ebbs was unable to hold onto a throw from third baseman Miranda Stoddard after Lord ran into her glove. The play was reviewed but the call was upheld. It didn't matter as Savannah Woodard lined out to left to end the inning. It's still 1-0, Alabama.

Top 2

• Erin Coffel led off the inning with an infield single to short before stealing second base. 

• After getting a flyout to right and a groundout to the circle, Fouts walks Reneee Abernathy to put runners on the corners with two outs. 

• Fouts gets out of the jam by getting Emmy Blane to foul out to third. It's still 1-0, Alabama.

Bottom 1

• Kentucky centerfielder Tatum Spangler steals a single away from Jenna Johnson with a diving catch for the first out of the bottom frame. 
• Ashley Prange follows up with a triple to right-center and is brought in by a sacrifice fly to center from Ally Shipman. 1-0, Alabama. 

Top 1

• Montana Fouts begins the game with a strikeout before getting a groundout back to the circle and a ground out to third. 0-0

Alabama starting lineup

Jenna Johnson, LF

Alabama Athletics

Ashley Prange, 3b

Alabama Athletics

Ally Shipman, C

Alabama Athletics

Kaylee Tow, 1B

Alabama Athletics

Bailey Dowling, SS

Alabama Athletics

Abby Doerr, DP

Alabama Athletics

Jenna Lord, 2B

Alabama Athletics

Savannah Woodard, RF

Alabama Athletics

Dallis Goodnight, CF

Alabama Athletics

Montana Fouts, SP

Alabama Athletics