Alabama Softball Stomps South Carolina in 13-1 Run-Rule Victory

The Crimson Tide's 10 runs in the second inning helped Alabama achieve its first run-rule victory in SEC play since 2023.

Alabama Softball Player Audrey Vandagriff (12) celebrates at Davis Dimond in Tuscaloosa, AL on Friday, Mar 21, 2025. / Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

The first game of the final series of a regular season very often has a bit of extra meaning to it as the result oftentimes impacts postseason placement. This heavy chip on the shoulder carries some weight, especially when the final series is on the road against a top-15 team.

No. 14 Alabama softball was faced with this tough task on Thursday evening against No. 12 South Carolina. But after an absolute murderous start by the Crimson Tide, Alabama slaughtered the Gamecocks 13-1 to take Game 1.

It's the Tide's first run-rule win in SEC play since May 5, 2023, against Ole Miss. It's also Alabama's first five-inning run-rule since May 6, 2021, which also came against the Rebels.

South Carolina has been one of the better defensive teams in the SEC this season as it ranks in the top half of the conference in most fielding stats. But a throwing error in the very first inning by the Gamecocks resulted in second baseman Kali Heivilin reaching home to open up the scoring.

While the first inning provided some spark, it's tough to come up with an adjective describing what happened to the Gamecocks defense during the second frame.

Catcher Marlie Giles singled to left with one out to bring in a run and following Larissa Preuitt's double, South Carolina took out starting pitcher Jori Heard. Heard finished the day early allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Sam Gress subbed in for Heard, but that did not work in the slightest as the Crimson Tide tallied six more runs in the second inning with Gress on the mound. Center fielder Audrey Vandagriff and left fielder Lauren Johnson each doubled while Heivilin and first baseman Abby Duchscherer singled to bring plenty more runs in.

Up 8-0 still in just the second inning, Giles, who had the first run of the frame, added three more her next at-bat as she smashed a home run to left center to put the game out of reach before the sun even came close to setting. This was the second time this season that Alabama scored 10 runs in an inning as the Tide did so in the 15-1 run-rule victory over UAB on February 28.

South Carolina turned on its portion of the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning thanks to an RBI single by Emma Sellers. But besides that, Alabama starting pitcher Jocelyn Briski had a very solid outing. In four innings, Briski allowed one run with three strikeouts and a walk on 76 pitches.

Vandagriff and Johnson added two more runs in the fourth inning via a walk and hit-by-pitch respectively, but that would be all for Alabama the rest of the way as the evening finished at the end of the fifth frame.

Alabama aims to build off this tremendous start in Game 2 against South Carolina on Friday evening at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.