No. 14 Alabama Softball Drops Series Opener to No. 5 Georgia

Crimson Tide can't hold 1-0 lead as offense fails to get timely hits with runners on base.

One pitch changed the game for Alabama. It wasn't for the better.

Georgia's Ellie Armistead crushed a Kayla Beaver fastball over the centerfield wall for a three-run home run to give the Bulldogs the lead, which led to a 4-2 victory Friday night in Athens, Georgia.

The three-run shot in the fourth inning erased a 1-0 Crimson Tide lead and sent all the momentum to Georgia.

Beaver and Alabama got out of multiple jams with a pair of double plays and a nice relief performance from Jocelyn Briski to end a threat the fifth inning with the bases loaded.

Beaver's went 4 1/3 innings three runs allowed on five hits with two strikeouts.

The Alabama offense was kept off balance for most of the game. Alabama had just four hits, including solo home runs from Kali Heivilin and Kenleigh Cahalan.

 The issue was scoring runs with runners on base. Alabama stranded eight base runners. Alabama failed to score with two runners on base with one out in the fourth and and seventh inning.

Bailey Dowling and Jenna Johnson had the other two Crimson Tide hits. Johnson reached base three times by walk, hit-by-pitch and with a base hit.

Madison Kerpics got the win, allowing two hits and one run in four innings to move to 8-1. 

Alabama (21-4, 1-3 SEC) returns to action Saturday in Game 2 against the Bulldogs. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Game Summary

FINAL SCORE: Georgia 4, Alabama 2

Top 7

• Marlie Giles strikes out and Bama falls to the Bulldogs 4-2.
• Abby Duchscherer strikes out. Bama down to its last out.
• Jenna Johnson on base for the third time tonight, this time with a base hit. Heivilin hit by pitch puts runners on first and second with one out
• White strikes out for the first out.

End 6: Georgia 4, Alabama 2

Bottom 6

• Alabama gets out of trouble again, but still trails heading into the seventh.
• Georgia offense still going strong. Two singles and Georgia has runners on first and second with one out.

Middle 6: Georgia 4, Alabama 2

Top 6

• Alabama can't move the runner across.
• Kendal Clark reaches on an error and now at second for Alabama. One out.

End 5: Georgia 4, Alabama 2

Bottom 5

• Nice job by Briski to come in and get the last two outs to get Alabama out of a jam. Georgia leaves the bases loaded but still has a two-run lead.
• Johnson out, Jocelyn Briski in for Alabama to pitch. Tough situation to come into for Briski.
• Not a good inning for Johnson. Three walks, a wild pitch and a single so far. Bases loaded with one out.
• A walk and a single puts another run on the board for the Bulldogs. Georgia leads 4-2.
• Beaver's night is done. 4 1/3 innings pitched, three runs allowed on five hits with two strikeouts. Alea Johnson enters the circle for Alabama

Middle 5: Georgia 3, Alabama 2

Top 5

• Heivilin hits a home run off the right field foul pole to make it a 3-2 game.

End 4: Georgia 3, Alabama 1

Bottom 4

• Armistead hits a three-run bomb left field and just like that, Georgia is up 3-1.
• Beaver in another jam after a sac bunt has runners on second and third. 
• A leadoff single and a walk has runners on first and second for Georgia. 

Middle 4: Alabama 1, Georgia 0

Top 4

• Larissa Preuit grounds into fielder's choice and Bama comes away empty. Big missed opportunity wasted.
• Bases are loaded after a walk to Esman
• Bama has runners on the corners after a throwing error.
• Dowling with a one-out single and Kendal Clark hit by a pitch puts runners on first and second for Alabama

End 3: Alabama 1, Georgia 0

Bottom 3

• Defense a big part of the game so far. Beaver gets the strikeout and catcher Marlie Giles guns down Goodnight at second on a steal attempt.
• Former Alabama player Dallis Goodnight singles to lead off the inning for Georgia.

Middle 3: Alabama 1, Georgia 0

Top 3

• Just like in the first inning, Johnson is stranded as Alabama comes up empty.
• Jenna Johnson gets on base for the second time today, this time via a walk. She leads the Crimson Tide with 11 walks this season.

End 2: Alabama 1, Georgia 0

Bottom 2

• A single is the only damage in the inning. Georgia held scoreless.

Middle 2: Alabama 1, Georgia 0

Top 2

• Kenleigh Cahalan with a blast to right field with two outs. It's her third homer of the year. Alabama 1-0.

End 1: Scoreless

Bottom 1

• Call is overturned and Bama gets out of the inning.
• However, Alabama can't get the out at first on a grounder by Sydney Kuma and a run scores. 1-0 Georgia. The play is being challenged
• Beautiful double play by Abby Duchscherer. She makes the catch and tags the runner on first. Big play.
• Sara Mosley with a single and Georgia has runners on the corners, no outs.
• Four-pitch walk by Kayla Beaver to the leadoff hitter. Not ideal.

Top 1

• Johnson is stranded at third and Alabama comes away empty.
• Johnson over to second on a sac bunt by Kali Heililin.
• Alabama's Jenna Johnson is hit by a pitch to start the game.

Starting Lineups

Notes

• Alabama faces its second conference foe this weekend, traveling to Athens to face fifth-ranked Georgia
  
• Games two and three of the weekend series will air live on the SEC Network with Matt Schumacker and Amanda Scarborough on the call
• The Crimson Tide heads into the weekend at 21-3 overall after a 4-1 Wednesday night road win over No. 16 Florida State
• Alabama is in the midst of a 10-game stretch that includes nine ranked matchups: two against Arizona (March 1-2), three against Florida (March 9-11), one at Florida State (March 13) and three at Georgia (March 15-17)
• Tide pitching leads the SEC in ERA (0.80) and earned runs allowed (18) and is second in opposing batting average (.161), hits allowed (88), runs allowed (33) and home runs allowed (5)
• The Tide is ranked as high as No. 14 in this week's national polls
• Alabama returns 15 letterwinners from last year's Women's College World Series squad, including 2023 All-SEC honoree Larissa Preuitt, 2023 NFCA All-Region Kenleigh Cahalan, 2023 All-SEC and SEC All-Tournament Team Jenna Johnson and 2022 All-SEC and All-Region Bailey Dowling
• Seven newcomers are on the Tide roster in 2024, including freshmen Lauren Johnson (Franklin, Tenn.) and Jocelyn Briski (Phoenix, Ariz.) and transfers Kayla Beaver (Central Arkansas), Kendal Clark (DMACC), Alea Johnson (LSU), Kinley Pate (Samford) and Riley Valentine (Texas A&M)