No. 8 Kentucky Batters No. 3 Alabama to Avoid Series Sweep

Montana Fouts suffered her first loss of the season as Kentucky tagged her for five runs on six hits.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After stymying No. 8 Kentucky's stacked lineup in back-to-back wins earlier this weekend, No. 3 Alabama softball was unable to hold off the Wildcats again on Sunday to secure a weekend sweep.

Kentucky battered Alabama starting pitcher Montana Fouts, tagging her for six hits and five earned runs over 2⅓ innings to beat the Crimson Tide 9-4 inside Rhoads Stadium.

"They kept fighting," Alabaa head coach Patrick Murphy said of Kentucky's batters. "You've got to give them credit... You've got to make good pitches, and I don't think a lot of ours were good pitches today." 

Alabama (24-4, 3-3 in the SEC) was able to secure its first SEC series win of the season earlier in the weekend, rallying for a 4-2 victory Friday night before grinding out a 3-2 win Saturday. Kentucky (20-5, 1-2) was able to snap its first three-game losing streak since the 2019 season.

Fouts (13-1) dominated the Wildcats Friday night, striking out 10 batters while surrendering two runs, one earned, on four hits in a complete-game performance. The senior appeared poised to match that success Sunday, retiring the first three batters she faced while notching two strikeouts in the first inning. However, a towering solo blast off the top of the left-field scoreboard from Kentucky’s Miranda Stoddard the following inning foreshadowed an onslaught of Wildcats production at the plate.

Alabama responded to Stoddard’s home run in the bottom of the second as Bailey Dowling led off the inning with a solo shot of her own. After Kat Grill doubled to left field, Alabama took the lead as an errored throw from Stoddard pulled Kentucky first baseman Taylor Ebbs off the bag, causing her to collide with Alabama’s Dallis Goodnight while sending the ball into right field. A double from Ashley Prange then gave Alabama a 3-1 lead as the Crimson Tide appeared on its way to a weekend sweep.

Alabama's momentum was soon wiped away as Fouts fell apart in the top of the third. Following back-to-back singles from Rylea Smith and Kayla Kowalik, Fouts walked Lauren Johnson to load the bases with no outs.

The hard-throwing senior was able to get Ebbs to pop out but allowed a game-tying double to Erin Coffel the next at-bat. From there, Stoddard delivered again, ripping a two-run single up the middle to chase Fouts out of the circle.

“It wasn’t obviously [Fouts’] best game, but give them credit because they battled and put the ball in play,” Murphy said. “Stoddard got it going with the home run, and then I think another kid in that inning hit a double. You’ve got to stop the bleeding, and we can’t make mistakes behind her. 

Lexi Kilfoyl, who recorded the complete-game win Saturday, replaced Fouts in the top of the third. The junior didn’t fare too much better, giving up four runs, three earned, on five hits over three innings pitched.

Kentucky junior Sloan Gayan (4-0) got the win, coming in relief for starting pitcher Izzy Harrison to start the bottom of the third inning. Gayan silenced the Crimson Tide’s bats over five innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run. 

Alabama had no answer for the heart of Kentucky’s lineup as Coffell, Stoddard and Kennedy Sullivan combined to go 6-for-10 with five RBIs on the day.

Following its weekend series against Kentucky, Alabama will travel to Birmingham for a mid-week clash against UAB on Wednesday before hitting the road again for a three-game series at South Carolina.

Murphy calls for safety base following Goodnight's collision at first

Following Sunday’s loss, Murphy was more fired up about Goodnight’s collision with Ebbs than he was with the game’s outcome. The play produced a few unsettling moments as both players remained down on the ground for several seconds before returning to their feet. Both Ebbs and Goodnight were able to remain in the game.

“There has got to be a safety base at first base in college softball,” Murphy said during his opening statement to reporters. “There are way too many season-ending injuries. There could have been two today. And it’s absolutely ridiculous that NCAA softball cannot mandate a safety base. It’s in the Olympics, it’s in high-school ball everywhere across the country. It’s a $300 safety investment for student-athletes.”

The safety base is essentially two connected bases with one intended for the first baseman and the other intended for the runner. Its design is intended to prevent collisions like the one that occurred Sunday. 

Goodnight appeared to be fine following the collision, stealing second base later in the inning. The freshman finished 1-for-3 with two runs on the afternoon.

“I think it surprised her a little, and she’ll probably have a bruise for sure tomorrow,” Murphy said. “She seemed fine after that and got up and then stole second, too.”

Ebbs went 0-for-2 before being pinch-hit for in the top of the fourth inning. She was replaced at first base by Meeko Harrison.

Gallery: Kentucky beats Alabama 9-4 

Photos from SEC Media portal