Alabama
30-9, 7-7
Texas A&M
32-9, 11-6
Alabama Drops Game Two to Texas A&M Sunday, Setting Up Monday Rubber Match
4/14/2024 7:36:00 PM | Softball
The series rubber match is set for a 6 p.m. CT start Monday on the SEC Network
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball dropped game two of its weekend series to Texas A&M, 17-6, Sunday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium.
Alabama (30-9, 7-7 SEC) found itself in an early hole after Texas A&M (32-9, 11-6 SEC) scored three runs in the top of the first to take the early lead and then added three more in the top of the second to double the advantage to 6-0. Leading off the bottom of the second, Bailey Dowling sent the first pitch of the half-inning over the fence for a solo home run to erase the shutout but A&M got the run back with their own solo home run in the top of the third, pushing ahead 7-1.
With runners at the corners and one out in the bottom of the fourth, Jenna Johnson dropped a single into shallow right to drive in Kinely Pate before Kali Heivilin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A popup and groundout got the Aggies out of the jam however as the Crimson Tide was only able to get the one run, trailing 7-2 heading to the fifth. With two on and nobody out in the bottom of the fifth, Kendal Clark slugged a three-run homer to left field, making it a two-run game at 7-5.
The Aggies got all three runs back in the top of the sixth, retaking a five-run lead at 10-5. An RBI single from Kenleigh Cahalan in the bottom half made it 10-6 but the Aggie offense exploded for seven runs in the seventh to lead 17-6, which ultimately proved final.
From Head Coach Patrick Murphy
"Jocelyn Briski usually gives us a good start and today it just wasn't a good one. A good start in the circle is the key. The pitcher has to keep us in it for as long as they can until we score some runs. Offensively, we had bases loaded with one out and were within striking distance, and if something in that situation goes our way it's a totally different game. It was 7-2 at the time, and we just missed an opportunity there. We came back within two when Kendal Clark hit that three-run home run, which was a big shot, but it just wasn't enough. We can't make three errors either."
Highlights
- Alabama is now 21-7 all-time vs. Texas A&M, including a 9-2 mark at home
- The 17 runs allowed are the most in program history, beating the previous record of 16 from Florida in the 2011 Women's College World Series (June 5, 2011)
- Bailey Dowling was 2-for-4 with a home run and a double, giving her six multi-hit games this season
- Kendal Clark's home run was her third of the season, two of which have come in the last three games with six RBIs over that stretch
- Clark also is riding a season-best 10 game reached base streak
- Kristen White's two walks is a new career best
Scoring Summary
- T1 | Texas A&M scored the first run on a fielder's choice RBI (0-1, 1 Out)
- T1 | A single to right drove in another Aggie run (0-2, 1 Out)
- T1 | A runner scored from third on a wild pitch (0-3, 2 Out)
- T2 | Jazmine Hill drove in two with a single through the left side (0-5, 2 Out)
- T2 | An error extended the inning with two outs as an unearned run scored (0-6, 2 Out)
- B2 | Bailey Dowling sent the first pitch of the half-inning over the fence for a solo HR (1-6, 0 Out)
- T3 | Allie Enright hit a solo home run to left center (1-7, 0 Out)
- B4 | Jenna Johnson dropped an RBI single into shallow right (2-7, 1 Out)
- B5 | Kendal Clark hit a three-run home run to left (5-7, 0 Out)
- T6 | Julia Cottrill pulled an RBI single through the right side (5-8, 0 Out)
- T6 | Trinity Cannon bounced an RBI double off the wall (5-9, 0 Out)
- T6 | An Aggie runner tagged up and scored on a sac fly RBI (5-10, 1 Out)
- B6 | Kenleigh Cahalan drove in Riley Valentine with an RBI single (6-10, 1 Out)
- T7 | Aggies added to their lead with a sac fly RBI (6-11, 0 Out)
- T7 | Cannon drove in two with a single to left (6-13, 1 Out)
- T7 | Enright hit an RBI single up the middle (6-14, 1 Out)
- T7 | Kennedy Powell hit a three-run home run to right (6-17, 2 Out)
Up Next: vs. #11/12 Texas A&M (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
- Monday, April 15 – 6 p.m. CT – SEC Network
For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on X/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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Emiley Kennedy (16-7)
L: Briski, Jocelyn (6-2)
Batting:
2B: Trinity Cannon 1
HR: Allie Enright 1 ; Kennedy Powell 1
RBI: Jazmine Hill 2 ; Julia Cottrill 3 ; Trinity Cannon 4 ; Allie Enright 3 ; Kennedy Powell 3
SF: Julia Cottrill 1 ; Allie Enright 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Amari Harper 2 ; Kramer Eschete 3 ; Jazmine Hill 4 ; Julia Cottrill 1 ; Scout Lovell 1 ; Trinity Cannon 1 ; Keely Williams 1 ; Allie Enright 2 ; Kennedy Powell 2
SB: Amari Harper 1 ; Kennedy Powell 1
HBP: Amari Harper 1
Batting:
2B: Dowling, Bailey 1
HR: Clark, Kendal 1 ; Dowling, Bailey 1
RBI: Cahalan, Kenleigh 1 ; Clark, Kendal 3 ; Dowling, Bailey 1 ; Johnson, Jenna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: White, Kristen 1 ; Cahalan, Kenleigh 1 ; Clark, Kendal 1 ; Dowling, Bailey 1 ; Pate, Kinley 1 ; Valentine, Riley 1
HBP: Johnson, Jenna 1 ; Heivilin, Kali 1
