Montana Fouts Fires No. 4 Alabama Softball to a Sweep of South Carolina

The senior starter matched her career-high with 16 strikeouts as the Crimson Tide recorded its first SEC sweep of the season.

After getting to Montana Fouts early Friday night, South Carolina’s bats could hardly touch her two days later. The senior flamethrower matched her career-high with 16 strikeouts to lead No. 4 Alabama softball to a 6-1 victory Sunday, giving the Crimson Tide its first SEC sweep of the season.

Alabama (28-4, 6-3 in the SEC) has now won four straight games, its longest winning streak since undergoing a minor blip at the beginning of SEC play earlier this month. South Carolina (18-13, 2-7) dropped its fifth straight game, its longest losing streak of the season.

During the series opener Friday, the Gamecocks tagged Fouts for five runs earned on eight hits over the first three innings before the senior rebounded to keep the Crimson Tide afloat in an eventual comeback victory.

Sunday, Fouts (15-1) asserted her dominance in the circle early and often. Alabama’s ace powered past South Carolina’s lineup, allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks over seven innings to record her second straight complete-game win.

Fouts' 16 strikeouts on the day came after she fanned 11 batters Friday night. She has now recorded 10 or more strikeouts in eight of her 13 starts this season, including three of her last four.

Since initially running into trouble Friday, the senior has allowed just the single earned run on three hits while recording 24 strikeouts over her last 11⅓ innings.

Alabama gave Fouts a comfortable cushion before she stepped in the circle Sunday, plating three runs in the top of the first inning while chasing South Carolina starter Bailey Betenbaugh (4-3) from the game before she could record her second out.

After a walk and a hit-by-pitch put runners on first and second for Alabama, three straight RBI singles from Kaylee Tow, Bailey Dowling and Jenna Johnson gave the Crimson Tide a 3-0 lead. Kat Grill extended Alabama’s advantage to four with an RBI single the following inning

Fouts’ lone moment of drama came in the bottom of the fourth when she brought the tying run to the plate by loading the bases with two outs. A walk from Zoe Laneaux put South Carolina on the board, but Fouts responded by striking out Kassidy Krupit to get out of the jam.

Tow led Alabama at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. The graduate student went a combined 7-for-11 with five RBIs over the three-game series. 

Johnson also went 3-for-4 with an RBI on Sunday, while Dowling went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Ally Shipman went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. 

Following this weekend’s series, the Crimson Tide will host Alabama State on Tuesday before facing Jacksonville State in Albertville, Ala. for the Sand Mountain Showdown. From there, Alabama will host No. 21 Georgia for a three-game series beginning next Saturday.