Alabama
48-6
Arkansas
42-11
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | X | 7 | 8 | 2 |
Alabama Advances to SEC Tournament Semifinals with 7-1 Win over Arkansas
5/7/2026 5:08:00 PM | Softball
The Crimson Tide hits four home runs, Jocelyn Briski earns the complete-game win
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Alabama opened its week at the 2026 SEC Softball Tournament with a 7-1 win over seventh-seeded Arkansas Thursday at John Cropp Stadium. The win advances the Crimson Tide to Friday's Semifinal round against No. 3 seed Florida at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Alabama (48-6) and Arkansas (43-11) were in a scoreless pitcher's duel for three innings until a two-base error and a wild pitch plated the first run of the day for the Razorbacks in the top of the fourth. Audrey Vandagriff answered in the home half of the fourth with a solo home run to tie it at 1-1 before Brooke Wells and Alexis Pupillo went back-to-back with home runs in the fifth to push the Tide ahead 4-1. Ambrey Taylor led off the sixth inning with a solo shot, the first of three runs scored in the half-inning to make it 7-1 heading to the top of the seventh. Jocelyn Briski (21-2) capped the complete-game victory with a scoreless final frame.
From Head Coach Patrick Murphy
"It says a lot about the strength of our conference when Arkansas finishes as the No. 7 seed and is also No. 1 in the RPI. We're just glad to get a win and get another opportunity tomorrow to play a really good team in this kind of environment. That atmosphere will get you ready for the next two weeks."
Highlights
- Alabama is now 48-30 all-time at the SEC Tournament, tied with LSU for the most wins of any team
- The semifinal appearance is the 14th for the Tide under the current SEC Tournament format and its first appearance since 2021
- Thursday's game was Alabama's 25th this season hitting multiple home runs and its fifth with four or more
- The four home runs improve the team's total this season to 87, which is two shy of tying the 2019 team for fourth in UA single-season history
- Brooke Wells hit her 22nd long ball of the season, passing Kaila Hunt (2012) for sole possession of third place on the Tide's single-season record list, putting Wells three shy of Kelly Kretschman (1998) in second place and four shy of record holder Bailey Hemphill (2019)
- Jocelyn Briski threw her 13th complete game of the season and her 18th allowing one run or less
Scoring Summary
- T4 | A two-out wild pitch brought in a runner from third (0-1, 2 Out)
- B4 | Audrey Vandagriff pulled a solo home run to right field (1-1, 2 Out)
- B5 | Brooke Wells gave Alabama the lead with a two run home run (3-1, 1 Out)
- B5 | Alexis Pupillo followed Wells with a solo home run (4-1, 1 Out)
- B6 | Ambrey Taylor led off the half-inning with a solo home run (5-1, 0 Out)
- B6 | Wells drove in Kristen White with an RBI single (6-1, 2 Out)
- B6 | A fielding error allowed Gerritt Griggs to score as a pinch runner (7-1, 2 Out)
Up Next: 2026 SEC Softball Tournament (Lexington, Ky.)
- Friday, May 8 vs. Florida – 4 p.m. CT - ESPN
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Briski, Jocelyn (21-2)
L: Robyn Herron (15-6)
Batting:
SH: Kennedy Miller 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tianna Bell 1
Batting:
2B: Taylor, Ambrey 1
HR: Wells, Brooke 1 ; Pupillo, Alexis 1 ; Vandagriff, Audrey 1 ; Taylor, Ambrey 1
RBI: Wells, Brooke 3 ; Pupillo, Alexis 1 ; Vandagriff, Audrey 1 ; Taylor, Ambrey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Young, Jena 1 ; Wells, Brooke 1 ; Griggs, Gerritt 1 ; Pupillo, Alexis 1 ; Vandagriff, Audrey 1 ; Taylor, Ambrey 1 ; White, Kristen 1
SB: Vandagriff, Audrey 1
