Alabama Softball Edges out UT Arlington, Falls in Heartbreaker to Arizona

Saturday, February 29

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

1:30 p.m. CT

Alabama

11-6

UT Arlington

8-11

UT Arlington

Alabama

Photo by: Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

Alabama Softball Edges out UT Arlington, Falls in Heartbreaker to Arizona

2/29/2020 7:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score vs. UT Arlington Box Score vs. Arizona Photo Gallery

The Crimson Tide closes out its weekend Sunday against McNeese

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball opened Saturday at the Easton Crimson Classic with a narrow 3-2 win over UT Arlington before dropping a heartbreaking back-and-forth game to Arizona, 6-5.

Alabama (11-7) opened the day with a narrow battle against UT Arlington (8-11), building a three-run lead before the Mavericks got two back in the top of the fifth. The Crimson Tide couldn't add to its lead but senior Krystal Goodman threw 2.0 shutout relief innings for her first save, securing the win. In game two against Arizona (15-3), each team scored a pair of runs in the third and another Wildcat run on a close play at the plate in the fourth gave the visitors the 3-2 lead. With two out in the bottom of the sixth, Alabama rallied to score three runs and take a 5-3 lead. With two on and two out in the top of the seventh, the Wildcats retook the lead on a three-run home run. A one-out double from freshman Savannah Woodard put the potential tying run in scoring position but the Tide could not drive her in, falling 6-5.

Highlights

Hemphill reached base streak in both games to push her streak to 16 games
With three walks today, Hemphill is now just two away from second-place Cassie-Reilly Boccia with 180 career walks and 11 walks away from Haylie McCleney's career record of 199
Junior KB Sides' and senior Alexis Mack's hit streaks ended in the game vs. UT Arlington at eight and seven games, respectively
Hemphill was the second player to turn in a pair of hits on her senior day, joining Taylor Clark who was 2-for-5 last weekend on her senior day
Senior Sarah Cornell struck out a season-high seven batters across 5.0 innings vs. UT Arlington while Goodman pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief for her first save

Scoring Summary

vs. UT Arlington
- B3rd | A two-out error allowed the first run of the day to come home (Alabama 1, UT Arlington 0)
- B4th | An RBI single from Woodard increased the Tide's lead to two (Alabama 2, UT Arlington 0)
- B4th | A high fly ball to left from freshman Abby Doerr allowed junior Kaylee Tow to tag up and score on the sacrifice fly (Alabama 3, UT Arlington 0)
- T5th | A two-out single scored a pair for the Mavericks (Alabama 3, UT Arlington 2)
vs. Arizona
- T3rd | A two-out single plated two runs for the Wildcats (Alabama 0, Arizona 2)
- B3rd | With runners at the corners and two out, Hemphill pulled an RBI single through the left side to drive in a run (Alabama 1, Arizona 2)
- B3rd | Junior Maddie Morgan followed with another single to tie the game (Alabama 2, Arizona 2)
- T4th | The Arizona runner just slid under the tag attempt at home an RBI groundout to put the Wildcats in front (Alabama 2, Arizona 3)
- B6th | After Mack stole second with two out, Wallace pulled the 3-2 pitch through the left side to score her from second and tie the game (Alabama 3, Arizona 3)
- B6th | Sides followed that with another single to drive in Wallace and give the Tide the lead (Alabama 4, Arizona 3)
- B6th | Another RBI single from Morgan increased Alabama's lead to two (Alabama 5, Arizona 3)
- T7th | Down to its final out, Arizona retook the lead with a three-run home run (Alabama 5, Arizona 6)

Up Next

Alabama wraps up its weekend at the Easton Crimson Classic against McNeese on Sunday, March 1 at 1:30 p.m. CT

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