Alabama
Tennessee
Alabama Outlasts Tennessee in 14 Innings to Force Deciding Game Three in Super Regionals
5/25/2024 9:40:00 PM | Softball
Game three is set for a 3 p.m. CT start Sunday on ESPN
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In the longest Super Regional game in NCAA history and longest postseason game in program history, Alabama battled and finally broke through to walk it off in the 14th inning to defeat Tennessee, 3-2, and force a decisive game three Sunday at 3 p.m. CT on ESPN.
The game-two win was the longest game in the all-time series between Alabama (37-18) and Tennessee (44-11), the longest Super Regional game in NCAA history and tied for the second-longest game all-time for the Crimson Tide. It was the seventh extra-inning game this season for Alabama, previously going 14 against LSU at the SEC Tournament and nine innings last weekend in Regionals in the winner's bracket game against Southeastern.
The teams traded runs in regulation, with a Bailey Dowling solo home run tying the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth. That would be the only scoring for the next 10 innings, as each team's pitching and defense refused to break with both combining to leave 13 runners on base from the eighth through the 13th innings. The Lady Vols loaded the bases with two out in the top of the 14th before a groundout got the Tide out of the jam and pinch-hitter Lauren Johnson ripped a first-pitch single through the left side to start off the bottom half of the inning. A double from Riley Valentine put two in scoring position with nobody out and then Kali Heivilin was intentionally walked to set up the potential force out at home. Kristen White made sure there was no chance of that occurring, slapping a high ball to the shortstop as Johnson slid in ahead of the throw attempt to give Alabama the walk-off victory.
White was 2-for-6 at the top of the order, marking her third-straight multi-hit game and improving her NCAA Tournament hitting line to 9-for-20 (.450) with six runs scored. Kenleigh Cahalan and Valentine also posted two-hit efforts on Saturday and Dowling hit her fourth home run of the season to tie the game in the fourth, her first long ball since April 14. Kayla Beaver (18-9) earned the win in relief with a gutsy performance, throwing 10.0 shutout innings with a career-high 165 pitches.
From Head Coach Patrick Murphy
"Kudos to Tennessee. That was a great game all the way around. They made play after play. When Riley [Valentine] hit that ball in the last inning down the line, I assumed it would be an amazing diving catch. The time before, she hit a ball of the wall and they made a perfect throw to get her out at second. The catcher sailed one into center field on a stolen base, so I tried to steal another one at third and she made a perfect throw to get her out. What a game. Kayla Beaver was so gritty today. It's amazing to see what she's done this year."
Highlights
- Saturday's win was the longest Super Regional game in NCAA history and the longest game in the all-time series between Alabama and Tennessee
- It is the fourth time the Tide has won game two in a Super Regional series after dropping game one, going on to win the series each of the previous three times (2011 vs. Stanford, 2015 vs. Oklahoma, 2023 vs. Northwestern)
- Alabama is now 3-4 in extra-inning games this season
- The Tide is 31-4 when scoring first and is 16-2 when scoring in 1st inning
- Alabama turned its 21st double play of the season, three shy of the second-most in program history and five away from the single-season record
- Kristen White was 2-for-6, marking her third straight multi-hit game and her seventh of the season
- White is now hitting 9-for-20 (.450) with six runs scored in NCAA Tournament play
- Kayla Beaver threw a career-high 10.0 innings and 165 pitches in relief
- Bailey Dowling hit her fourth home run of year, her first since April 14
Scoring Summary
- B1 | Kristen White scored from third on an RBI groundout (1-0, 1 Out)
- T2 | Laura Mealer hit a bases-loaded single to left to score one (1-1, 2 Out)
- T4 | Sophia Nugent hit a solo home run (1-2, 1 Out)
- B4 | Bailey Dowling tied the game with a solo home run to left (2-2, 2 Out)
- B14 | Lauren Johnson scored from third on an RBI fielder's choice from Kristen White (3-2, 0 Out)
Up Next: Super Regionals vs. Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)
- Sunday, May 26 – 3 p.m. CT – ESPN
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.
