KJ Haney Pinch-Hit Grand Slam Lifts Softball to 7-5 Comeback Win at South Carolina

Friday, March 25

Columbia, S.C.

5 p.m. CT

Alabama

26-4, 4-3

South Carolina

18-11, 2-4

Alabama

South Carolina

KJ Haney Pinch-Hit Grand Slam Lifts Softball to 7-5 Comeback Win at South Carolina

3/25/2022 9:21:00 PM | Softball

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The sophomore blasted a go-ahead grand slam with two outs in the sixth inning

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Trailing by three runs in the top of the sixth, sophomore KJ Haney came through with the pinch-hit grand slam to push Alabama ahead of South Carolina Friday night, eventually winning 7-5.

Alabama (26-4, 4-3 SEC) trailed early after a two-run second inning from South Carolina (18-11, 2-5 SEC). The Crimson Tide cut the deficit in half in the top the third, scoring on a throwing error, but the Gamecocks tacked on three more in the bottom half of the inning to make it 5-1. A Kaylee Tow RBI single in the fourth made it a three-run game and Alabama started to gain momentum in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with two out. Pinch hitter KJ Haney then took the second pitch of her at-bat down the left-field line for a go-ahead grand slam, putting the Tide ahead 6-5. Tow added an insurance run with a seventh inning solo home run, pushing the score to its eventual final tally of 7-5.

Tow and Jenna Johnson tallied multi-hit performances, including two RBIs from Tow. Ashley Prange pulled a single through the left side in her final at-bat, extending her hitting streak to a season-high seven games, just two shy of her career best. Haney's home run was her first of the season and second of her career, both coming in pinch-hit situations. Montana Fouts (14-1) earned the complete-game win, fanning 11 batters.

Highlights

Alabama improves to 44-20 all-time vs. South Carolina, including a 21-11 in Columbia
The Tide is now 6-1 when opponents score first
KJ Haney's grand slam was the Tide's second of the year, following Megan Bloodworth's on opening day against Southern Utah (Feb. 11)
It was also the first pinch hit home run for Alabama since Abby Doerr in the 2021 Women's College World Series against Arizona (June 3, 2021)
Ashley Prange extended her hitting streak to a season-best seven games, two games shy of tying her career best set in 2019 as a freshman at Ohio State
Montana Fouts now has seven double-digit strikeout performances this season and 35 over her career

Scoring Summary

B2 | Riley Blampied dropped an RBI double into shallow center (0-1, 0 Out)
B2 | The Gamecocks added another with an RBI groundout (0-2, 1 Out)
T3 | An errant throw on a forceout attempt allowed Dallis Goodnight to score from second (1-2, 1 Out)
B3 | Hannah Kumiyama hit an RBI single up the middle (1-3, 1 Out)
B3 | An infield single brought a run home (1-4, 2 Out)
B3 | Another infield single increased the lead to four (1-5, 2 Out)
T4 | Kaylee Tow drove in Bailey Dowling from second with an RBI single (2-5, 0 Out)
T6 | KJ Haney blasted a go-ahead grand slam down the left field line (6-5, 2 Out)
T7 | Kaylee Tow hit an opposite-field solo homer (7-5, 2 Out)

Up Next: at South Carolina (Columbia, S.C.)

Saturday, March 26 – 1 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 27 – 12 p.m. CT

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