Softball Scores Six Unanswered Runs to Complete 7-6 Comeback Win over Mississippi State

Friday, April 15

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6 p.m. CT

Alabama

35-6, 12-5

Mississippi State

26-16, 7-7

Mississippi State

Alabama

Softball Scores Six Unanswered Runs to Complete 7-6 Comeback Win over Mississippi State

4/15/2022 10:53:00 PM | Softball

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The Crimson Tide secures the weekend series over the Bulldogs in walk-off fashion

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Trailing 6-1 in the sixth inning, Alabama softball went on to score six unanswered runs over the next two innings, with a two-run double from Megan Bloodworth giving the Crimson Tide the 7-6 walk-off victory over Mississippi State to clinch the weekend series.

The comeback is tied for the third-largest in Alabama (35-6, 12-5 SEC) softball history, its biggest since rallying from down seven against Missouri on March 8, 2019. Mississippi State (26-16, 7-7 SEC) scored five runs in the first two innings but was held to just one run on five hits for the remainder of the game, stranding nine on base over those five frames. Jenna Lord led the offense with a 3-for-4 day, including her first career home run in the sixth inning to draw Alabama within two. Ally Shipman also hit a home run as part of a 2-for-4 day while Kaylee Tow and Bailey Dowling also got in on the action with a solo shot each. Montana Fouts (18-3) earned the win, going down as the pitcher of record after securing the final out in the top of the seventh.

Mississippi State got on the board quickly in the top of the first, as Mia Davidson followed a fielding error with a two-run home run down the left field line, and then the Bulldogs tacked on three more in the top of the third on a trio of RBI singles to make it 5-0. Tow got Alabama on the board in the bottom half of the inning, leading off the frame with a solo home run.

With the score the same in the bottom of the second, the Tide loaded the bases with one out but a lineout double play at third ended the inning and the rally. Mississippi State added to its lead in the sixth with an unearned run on an error to make it 6-1 but Dowling got the run back immediately in the bottom half with a leadoff solo home run. After a walk to Tow, Lord crushed a line-drive home run to center field to cut the deficit to two at 6-4. The Bulldogs couldn't add to their lead in the top of the seventh, setting up Alabama for another walk-off opportunity.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Shipman pulled a solo home run down the left field line to make it a one-run ballgame. Dowling battled through an eight-pitch at bat to draw a walk, with Jordan Stephens entered as a pinch runner representing the tying run. Tow fought through her own eight-pitch at bat behind her to draw another walk before Lord squibbed an infield single to load the bases with one out. On the fourth pitch of her at-bat, Bloodworth cranked a double into the left field corner, driving in two to give Alabama the walk-off win.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy

"We got great energy from the crowd all night. I can't thank them enough because this has got to be the toughest place in America to play as an opponent. About 90 percent of our games here are wins and it's mainly because of the fans. It was tremendous energy from them. Throughout the game, we never gave up. We had bases loaded and one out and then hit into a double play and we could've given up right then and there. Bloodworth gets pinch hit for the previous at-bat and when we need her the most, she comes through. She didn't pout, she didn't whine about being pinch hit for, she just got out there and ripped the ball."

From Megan Bloodworth

"I've been playing this game since I was five or six years old. I had to approach it just like any other at-bat. I'm always trying not to make the moment bigger than it actually is and just get the job done. Knowing that our team battled back after being down six runs just helps us down the road and reminds us that we've been in moments like this and can do it."

Highlights

Alabama improves to 64-11 all-time vs. Mississippi State, including a 33-3 mark in Tuscaloosa
The Tide has now won 15 of its 16 three-game series vs. Mississippi State
Alabama has won all nine three-game series against the Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa, which previously includes six sweeps (16, 11, 09, 07, 05, 01) and three 2-1 weekends (19, 13, 03)
The comeback is tied for the third-largest in program history, the biggest since overcoming a seven-run deficit against Missouri on March 8, 2019
The Tide is 9-2 this season when the opponent scores first
The win was Alabama's first this season when trailing after 6.0 innings and just its second when trailing after 5.0
The four home runs are the most since belting five against Arizona on opening weekend (Feb. 12)
Jenna Lord tallied a season-high three hits, including her first career home run
The 2-for-4 day marked Ally Shipman's 16th multi-hit game of the season, which leads the team
Shipman and Bailey Dowling are tied for the team lead with eight home runs
Kat Grill has at least one hit in six of her last seven games, going 8-for-19 (.421) over that stretch
Kaylee Tow's solo home run extends her hitting streak to five games
Ashley Prange and Dowling extended their reached-base streaks to 17 and 13 games, respectively

Scoring Summary

T1 | Mia Davidson pulled a two-run home run down the left field line (0-2, 0 Out)
T2 | With two in scoring position, a single up the middle drove in a run (0-3, 0 Out)
T2 | Shea Moreno drove in a run with an RBI single (0-4, 0 Out)
T2 | A bases-loaded walk tagged on another (0-5, 1 Out)
B2 | Kaylee Tow led off the half-inning with a solo home run (1-5, 0 Out)
T6 | An error on a forceout attempt extended the inning and allowed a run to come home (1-6, 2 Out)
B6 | Bailey Dowling led off the inning with a solo home run to left field (2-6, 0 Out)
B6 | Jenna Lord hit a line-drive home run to center, scoring two (4-6, 0 Out)
B7 | Ally Shipman pulled a solo home run down the left field line (5-6, 1 Out)
B7 | Megan Bloodworth pulled a double down the line to drive in two and win the game (7-6, 1 Out)

Up Next: vs. Mississippi State (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Saturday, April 16 – 4 p.m. CT – SEC Network

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