Alabama Softball Drops Extra-Inning Opener to Missouri
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — An unfortunate bounce in the first inning foreshadowed what type of game was to come for the Crimson Tide.
Missouri's home run leader Kimberly Wert stepped to the plate with a runner on and hit a hard line drive right at Savannah Woodard in straightaway centerfield. The ball crashed into Woodard's glove, she crashed into the wall and the ball popped over the fence for a two-run home run.
Ashley Prange answered with a home run of her own to lead off the bottom of the frame that cut the deficit to one, but it would it be the only Alabama run and hit until Bailey Dowling also hit a home run in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game.
Despite a 14-strikeout effort from starter Montana Fouts, a bases loaded walk in the eighth inning scored the winning run for Missouri to take game one of the series 3-2.
"We just didn’t continue innings," said Alabama coach Patrick Murphy. "The most we had up to bat in one inning was five. We just have to have another person get on base. That’s been the story all year long too, it’s very frustrating.”
With runners on second and third with two outs in the extra inning, Alabama intentionally walked Wert to load the bases prior to the walk to Kendyll Bailey to score the game-winning run. Even though she gave up three runs, it was overall one of Fouts' best performances of the season, and she put her team in a position to win.
Alabama only had five hits in the game, with two coming from Dowling, but had the winning runner in scoring position in the fifth and seventh innings. Kat Grill led off the seventh with a single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Megan Bloodworth which gave the Crimson Tide an opportunity to walk it off in regulation. She was stranded there after a popup and line out.
After Missouri took the lead on the bases loaded walk, the Tigers offered a glimmer of hope for Alabama in the bottom of eighth with a two-out error. But once again, the Crimson Tide couldn't bring the runner in.
"We’ve just got to make better adjustments period," Murphy said. "The first half of the game was way too many popups, easy outs. They opened the door a little bit for us in the eighth. I thought we were going to score in the seventh. They gave us a little bit of a chance in the eighth. We’ve got to take advantage of opportunities when we get them."
Missouri remains one of the hottest teams in the country with its eighth win in a row. Alabama has now dropped four of its last five games and falls to 39-10 (14-8) in the SEC. The Crimson Tide and Tigers will meet again Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
