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Softball On SI

No. 4 Alabama Makes Statement, Beats No. 1 Texas in Massive Series Win

Maren Angus-Coombs|
April 2, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama left fielder Lauren Johnson celebrates after making a diving catch at Rhoads Stadium as Number 1 Texas and Number 4 Alabama play an SEC series.
April 2, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama left fielder Lauren Johnson celebrates after making a diving catch at Rhoads Stadium as Number 1 Texas and Number 4 Alabama play an SEC series. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama's 7-4 win over Texas on Saturday was a decade in the making as the No. 4 Crimson Tide clinched its first series win over a No. 1-ranked team since 2016.

The series victory marked the first over a No. 1-ranked team since defeating Florida in Gainesville in 2016, and its first series win at home over a top-ranked foe since beating Georgia at Rhoads Stadium in 2011.

Alabama has now won each of its first four SEC series for the first time since 2014.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be at Alabama with this group of people," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "They are truly incredible. It took all 21 of our players to win this series, because Texas is one heck of a team. They're the number one team in the nation for a reason. We needed the almost 4,000 fans in the stands and in our corner to win that series. They gave us life when we needed it. We had two really good pitching performances from [Vic] Moten and [Jocelyn] Briski, and we had some really great hits from a lot of different people. Overall, I'm really impressed with today's outcome."

After Texas took the first game of the series in commanding fashion, 9-1, Alabama looked to freshman Vic Moten and junior Jocelyn Briski in Game 2. Briski earned the win as the Crimson Tide rolled to a final score of 11-4.

Murphy turned to the same combination in Game 3 and it was Moten who earned the victory.

Texas struck first on Saturday when Reese Atwood hit a solo home run in the second inning, but Alabama answered in the bottom half with a three-run shot off the bat of Jena Young. Alexis Pupillo extended her on-base streak to 34 games with an RBI-double and extended the Alabama lead to 4-1.

The Longhorns cut the deficit to 4-3 in the fourth with a two-run homer from Katie Stewart.

Alabama responded with three more in the bottom of the inning, two of which came via bases-loaded walks. Ambrey Taylor capped the scoring when Texas shortstop Viviana Martinez committed an uncharacteristic error, allowing Kristen White to cross home plate.

Stewart homered again in the sixth to bring the score to 7-4 and that's where it stayed.

Young's home run was part of a 2-for-3 day for the infielder who transferred from Iowa. She was one of four Crimson Tide players with two hits in the win alongside Pupillo, White, and Audrey Vandagriff.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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