Alabama
Ole Miss
Montana Fouts’ Perfect Game Leads Alabama to 9-0 Win Friday over Ole Miss
5/5/2023 9:36:00 PM | Softball
The perfect game is the fourth of Fouts’ career, second this season
OXFORD, Miss. – Fifth-year senior Montana Fouts led Alabama to a 9-0 win over Ole Miss in Friday's series opener, throwing the fourth perfect game of her career.
The perfect game is the fourth of Fouts' career and her second this season, previously doing so against Longwood on March 5. She is the only player in Alabama history to throw four perfect games, three of which have been solo. It is also Fouts' fourth no-hitter of the season, tied for the Alabama single-season record and the first time since Kelsi Dunne in 2011. Overall, it marks the ninth perfect game in Tide history and the 45th no-hitter.
Alabama (37-16, 13-9 SEC) capitalized on an early error from Ole Miss (28-24, 7-15 SEC), with an errant throw out of play allowing Jenna Johnson to score from second base. A sac fly RBI later in the inning made it 2-0 and the Crimson Tide tacked on three more in the top of the second on three RBI singles to stretch the lead to 5-0. The score remained the same until a bases-loaded single from Bailey Dowling in the sixth plated a pair of runs and a Larissa Preuitt double tacked on two more to stretch the lead to 9-0. With the run-rule lead in effect, Montana Fouts (21-8) only needed to close out the bottom of the sixth to secure the perfect game.
On offense, Preuitt led the way with a 4-for-4 day with two RBIs, the most hits for any Tide player this season. Ashley Prange tied her career high with a three-hit day, her 10th multi-hit game of the season to extend her reached-base streak to seven games. Dowling drove in three of the team's nine runs, her fourth game this season with three or more RBIs.
From Head Coach Patrick Murphy
"That was old fashioned Alabama softball. The starting pitcher had a great game, the defense was terrific and we had 11 hits and kept innings alive. We saw four pitchers tonight and thought we did well against all four and Montana [Fouts] did the rest. There were some really good at-bats early. We went out with a game plan and our hitters followed it to a tee. We adjusted really well to each of the pitchers they put in."
From Montana Fouts
"It was really easy to trust my defense. Ole Miss was putting the ball in play but we were making great plays out there. We put the runs on the board, which is always great as a pitcher. Putting up five runs in the first two innings was a big deal."
Highlights
- The perfect game is the fourth of Fouts' career and the ninth in Alabama history
- It also marks her fifth no-hitter and the 45th in program history
- The three no-hitters this season for Fouts ties the single-season record, with Kelsi Dunne as the last to do so in 2011
- The run-rule win was the Tide's first in SEC play this season, last doing so on April 4 last season against Georgia
- The nine runs scored are Alabama's most vs. an SEC opponent this season, its most in conference play since the April 4 perfect game against Georgia last season
- Alabama improves to 64-6 all-time vs. Ole Miss, including a 30-3 mark in Oxford, winning each of the last five
- The Crimson Tide has now won game one in seven of its eight SEC series this season
- Larissa Preuitt's four hits are a season best for the freshman and the most hits for any Alabama player this season
- Ashley Prange extended her reached-base streak to seven games behind a three-hit day at the plate, tying her career high
- The win was the 96th of Fouts' career, one shy of fourth-place Stephanie VanBrakle (2003-06)
- It was also Fouts' 35th career shutout, three away from second-place Kelsi Dunne (2008-11)
- The six strikeouts improve her season total to 283, which ranks ninth in UA history, and her career total to 1,141, only trailing record-holder Dunne with 1,219
Scoring Summary
- T1 | An errant throw went out of play allowing Jenna Johnson to move up two bases, scoring from second on the error (1-0, 1 Out)
- T1 | A sac fly RBI from Bailey Dowling scored Ashley Prange from third (2-0, 1 Out)
- T2 | Emma Broadfoot smoked an RBI single through the first baseman's legs (3-0, 0 Out)
- T2 | Jenna Johnson dropped an RIB single into shallow center (4-0, 1 Out)
- T2 | Ashley Prange roped an RBI single up the middle (5-0, 1 Out)
- T6 | Bailey Dowling poked a two-run single to right (7-0, 2 Out)
- T6 | Larissa Preuitt roped a bases-loaded double through the right side, driving in two (9-0, 2 Out)
Up Next: at Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.)
- Saturday, May 6 – 1 p.m. CT – SEC Network
- Sunday, May 7 – 1 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.
