Alabama Softball Collapses in 5-4 Loss to Texas A&M

No. 24 Alabama softball entered Friday's series opener against No. 6 Texas A&M having lost four of its last six games. Holding a 4-2 lead entering the sixth, the Crimson Tide appeared primed to halt to the skid. But things fell apart as the Aggies homered off Jocelyn Briski and Alea Johnson to secure the 5-4 comeback victory and hand the Crimson Tide its third SEC loss in four games.

Briski and the defense were elite for the majority of the game. It was nine up, nine down for the Aggies in their first three innings at the plate as the senior appeared dialed in and ready to earn her tenth win of the season.

The Alabama bats came through in the top of the third after stranding runners in each of the first two innings. Salen Hawkins doubled to start the inning and Audrey Vandagriff singled to advance her to third. Kali Heivilin then laid out a perfect sacrifice fly to bring Hawkins home and give the Crimson Tide a 1-0 lead.

Texas A&M responded an inning later. With Mya Perez on second, Mac Barbara singled to center to tie the game. The Aggies would then go onto load the bases with two outs for star freshman KK Dement. Briski missed on her first pitch before getting the count to 1-2 after Dement fouled off two pitches. She then hit right into a fielder's choice and Briski was able to get out of the jam with minimal damage.

Alabama instantly responded in the top of the fifth. After Marlie Giles reached on a fielding error to start the frame, Hawkins recorded her second hit of the afternoon, a strong double down the third base line to put Alabama up 2-1. Vandagriff then stepped up to the plate and blew the game open. The freshman took Grace Sparks yard for her second career home run, and all of a sudden the Aggies were down three runs and on the ropes.

Sidne Peters came in to relieve Sparks and promptly recorded three outs to end the inning. The Aggies picked up a second run in the bottom of the inning, but Briski was still dealing, having allowed just five hits through five innings with her pitch count having just barely eclipsed 70.

Brooke Ellestad singled to start the top of the sixth, but Peters put the next three batters to bed to set the stage for what would ultimately be the game's decisive frame. With the count at 2-2, Perez hit her team-leading seventh homer of the year. Amari Harper followed that up with a single, and, just like that, Briski's day was done as head coach Patrick Murphy gave the ball to Alea Johnson to try and hang onto the lead.

That lead would last just one more pitch. Barbara swung and missed on her first look before unleashing the biggest hit of the afternoon, a shot to deep right that everybody knew was clearing the fence the instant it left her bat. Johnson did recover to record the three consecutive outs to keep Alabama down just one run entering the seventh, but damage was done.

Vandagriff completed a perfect 3-3 day with a single to start the top of the seventh and then advanced to second on a single from Larissa Preuitt. The reported attendance from Davis Diamond was 2277 and every single fan in attendance made themselves heard. With nearly the entire stadium standing, Kali Heivilin lined out to second for the first out.

Out number two was not so simple. Alexis Pupillo stayed alive for nine pitches, displaying her power with multiple deep foul balls and keeping Peters on edge. Ultimately she would hit into a fielder's choice that would leave Vandagriff out at third and keep runners on first and second.

Down to the game's final out, Abby Duscherer stepped up to the plate. She was held hitless in Alabama's last two games and was 0-3 with two strikeouts entering the at-bat and fell behind 1-2 in the count before popping one right up to first to end the game.

Johnson picked up her first loss of the season and just the second of her Crimson Tide career. Alabama is now just one of four SEC teams without multiple wins. The Crimson Tide looks to stay alive in the series and right the ship in game two of the series, tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

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