Bama Central

Alabama Softball Blows Another Late Lead in Clearwater Finale against Oklahoma State

The Crimson Tide finishes the Clearwater Invitational with a 1-4 record after giving up a seventh-inning lead in the 4-3 walkoff loss to the Cowgirls.

Katie Windham

Alabama coach Patrick Murphy
Alabama coach Patrick Murphy / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

For the second straight game and third time in the last four outings, Alabama softball blew a late lead that resulted in another loss at the Clearwater Invitational. The Crimson Tide couldn't hang on to a two-run lead in the seventh inning as No. 10 Oklahoma State railled for three runs to win, 4-3.

After a rough weekend in Clearwater, it appeared that Alabama was going to be able to head back to Tuscaloosa with some momentum and a top-10 win. The No. 12 Crimson Tide got a great start in the circle from Catelyn Riley. The Ole Miss transfer gave up five hits and no unearned runs in four innings.

Jocelyn Briski came in to relive Riley after a leadoff single in the fifth. That run would come around to score on a throwing error from Briski in what would've been the final out of the inning.

Alabama had gotten on the board first thanks to an RBI double from Alexis Pupillo in the fourth inning and an error by Oklahoma State that allowed Alabama to hold a 2-0 lead. The error by Briski in the fifth pulled the Cowgirls within one run at 2-1.

Audrey Vandagriff provided a little insurance for the Tide in the top of the seventh with an RBI single that scored Salen Hawkins. But the insurance didn't pay off.

The bottom of the order was due up for Oklahoma State in the bottom half of the inning. Briski was up 0-2 in the count to the leadoff batter before giving up a leadoff single. She responded with a strikeout, but then an infield single had two runners on with one out. Oklahoma State's 9-hole hitter Tallen Edwards hit an RBI-double to plate a run and put two runners in scoring position with one out trailing by a run.

Briski got the second out with a ground ball back to the pitcher that she threw home to retire the lead runner, but the Alabama defense allowed the batter to reach second base. So, Oklahoma State still had two runners in scoring position with two outs. The Alabama outfielders were playing deep, and a ball to right field off the bat of Rosie Davis plated both runners for the walk-off victory.

Blowing late leads is becoming an increasingly troubling trend for the Tide. Alabama led 5-3 in the sixth inning against Liberty on Friday before losing 7-6. On Saturday against No. 4 UCLA, the Tide held a 3-0 lead in the sixth inning and then lost 6-3. Briski blew the lead in all three games and is now 1-4 on the season.

Alabama's offense has shown lots of signs of improvement from last season, but this team has to find a way to close out games. Closing out a game is not just on the pitcher, but also involves the defense and more late-inning production from the offense.

The Crimson Tide is now 5-5 on the season and will travel to Huntsville on Wednesday to play Jacksonville State before making its home debut Friday against Virginia Tech.

Published
Katie Windham
KATIE WINDHAM

Katie Windham is the assistant editor for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball gymnastics and softball. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, NCAA March Madness, SEC Tournaments and championships in multiple sports. 

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