Alabama Softball Holds Off Duke Comeback Attempt for 5-4 Win Thursday in Clearwater

Thursday, February 16

Clearwater, Fla.

12 p.m. CT

Alabama

3-1

Duke

3-3

Duke

Alabama

Alabama Softball Holds Off Duke Comeback Attempt for 5-4 Win Thursday in Clearwater

2/16/2023 3:11:00 PM | Softball

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The Crimson Tide score five unanswered in the first two innings, hold off a late Blue Devils rally

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Alabama softball scored five unanswered runs over the first two innings in Thursday's matchup against Duke at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational before the Blue Devils mounted a late comeback attempt that fell just short as the Crimson Tide held on to win, 5-4.

For the third time this season, Alabama (3-1) scored first, plating three runs in the opening frame. A two-run homer from Ashley Prange extended the lead to 5-0 in the second before Duke (3-3) responded with its own two-run blast in the fourth to break into the run column and make it 5-2. The Blue Devils made it 5-3 with a solo home run in the fourth and the score remained the same heading to the seventh inning. A leadoff double, wild pitch and sac fly scored one for Duke to make it a 5-4 game and a two-out double put the potential tying run in scoring position before a groundout ended the rally as the Crimson Tide held on to win.

The top three in the order went a combined 4-for-10, with Prange posting her third multi-hit game of the season with an RBI single and two-run home run. In the circle, Montana Fouts (2-0) went the distance, striking out eight for her second complete-game victory of the young season.

Highlights

Alabama has scored first in three of its four games this season, all of which came in the first inning
Ashley Prange now has three multi-hit games so far this season, 14 as a member of the Crimson Tide and 39 for her collegiate career
Prange's three RBIs is also a season high, and the home run was her second of the season
The complete game was Montana Fouts' second of the season in as many starts and 67th of her career
The win was the 78th of Fouts' career, putting her one shy of tying Alexis Osorio (2015-18) for fifth on the Alabama career record books

Scoring Summary

B1 | Ashley Prange drove in Kenleigh Cahalan with an RBI single (1-0, 0 Out)
B1 | Ally Shipman smashed a double to left field, driving in Prange (2-0, 0 Out)
B1 | Jenna Johnson tacked on another run with an RBI single up the middle (3-0, 2 Out)
B2 | Prange smoked a line drive home run to center field, scoring two (5-0, 2 Out)
T4 | Kelly Torres got the Blue Devils on the board with a two-run home run (5-2, 1 Out)
T6 | Torres hit her second home run of the day, a solo shot to right center (5-3, 1 Out)
T7 | A sac fly RBI plated a run for Duke (5-4, 0 Out)

Up Next: TaxAct Clearwater Invitational (Clearwater, Fla.)

Friday, Feb. 17 vs. #2/2 UCLA – 3 p.m. CT – ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 18 vs. #20/20 UCF – 1:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 18 vs. Indiana – 5 p.m. CT
Sunday, Feb. 19 vs. #6/7 Florida State – 4 p.m. CT

For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on Twitter, BamaSB on Instagram and Alabama Softball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.