Alabama Softball Blows Seventh-Inning Lead to Oklahoma in Game 1

The Crimson Tide was two outs away from shutting out the Sooners, before the OU bats exploded for five runs in the top of the seventh.

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

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama was two outs away from shutting out Oklahoma for the first time since 2019, but pinch hitter Maya Bland saved the day for the Sooners.

Catelyn Riley and Jocelyn Briski had combined for 6.1 innings of scoreless ball, but a controversial call to start the seventh inning gave Oklahoma a leadoff runner with the error from Marlie Giles behind the plate. Two batters later, Patti Gasso called on Bland from the bench, and she delivered with the two-run home run to give the Sooners their first lead of the game.

No. 2 Oklahoma added three more runs in the inning to open the series with a 5-1 victory over No. 22 Alabama on Saturday at Rhoads Stadium.

After Bland's two-run home run off of Briski, Oklahoma scored on a two-RBI double from Ailana Agbayani with Alea Johnson pitching in relief of Briski. Riley came back in to relive Johnson and gave up the final run on a perfectly-executed squeeze bunt from Nelly McEnroe-Marinas.

Alabama got on the board in the third inning after a leadoff double from freshman phenom Audrey Vandagriff. Larissa Preuitt moved her over to third on a sacrific fly, and Brooke Ellestad drove Vandagriff in with an RBI sac fly to put the Tide up 1-0.

It would be the only run the Alabama offense would score.

"Against Oklahoma, you cannot win with three hits," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said after the game. "Almost, but almost doesn't count."

Riley gave Alabama a brilliant start in the circle, only giving up three hits and no runs with just one walk over five innings. Briski had the Sooners go three up, three down in the sixth inning, but the trouble started with the defensive miscue to start the seventh inning.

Alabama challenged the play for a runner's lane violation, but after review, the runner remained safe on the field. After the game, Murphy said he is still waiting for an explanation on the call.

The Crimson Tide had a big missed-opportunity in the first inning. After a one-out double from Kali Heivilin, the next two Alabama batters reached on free passes to load the bases with one out for the heart of the order.

But Riley flew out, and Giles struck out on three pitches to strand the bases loaded. The soldout Rhoads crowd was ready to explode early, and it could've given the Tide all the early momentum.

The announced crowd was 4400, which was the largest on-campus softball crowd of the season. The majority of those fans went home disappointed.

"It's the first time I've played in front of a packed out Rhoads house, and it's amazing," Riley said, who transferred in from Ole Miss over the offseason. "I've been on the opposite side of it before, so I know for the Sooners, it is not the easiest environment to play in."

Vandagriff and Heivilin were the only two Alabama batters to get a hit on Saturday. Oklahoma starter Sam Landry threw 26 pitches in the first inning, and then only had to throw 68 over the final six innings.

"I feel like a lot of us go up there very tentative," Heivilin said. "We're looking for something specific and want to be the hero. And I think everybody just needs to trust their work, and understand that they're good–– that's why they're in the lineup. If they just go out there and do their thing, good things will happen."

Alabama (28-16, 5-8 SEC) and Oklahoma (36-3, 10-3 SEC) will be back at Rhoads Stadium on Sunday at 5 p.m. for Game 2.

This story will be updated with quotes and video .

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