Missed Chances Haunt Alabama Softball in 5-3 Loss to Arkansas Sunday

Sunday, March 19

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

5 p.m. CT

Alabama

22-7, 1-1

Arkansas

21-8, 2-3

Arkansas

Alabama

Missed Chances Haunt Alabama Softball in 5-3 Loss to Arkansas Sunday

3/19/2023 8:42:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

The series rubber match is set for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch Monday on the SEC Network

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball had the bases loaded with nobody out trailing by two in the seventh inning Sunday night against Arkansas but a trio of strikeouts ended the comeback attempt as the Crimson Tide fell to the Razorbacks, 5-3, to even the weekend series.

Alabama (22-7, 1-1 SEC) threatened immediately against Arkansas (21-8, 2-3 SEC), loading the bases with one out in the first inning but could not push a run across. The Razorbacks responded in the next half-inning with an RBI double and a two-run single to take the early 3-0 lead. Arkansas loaded the bases with one out in the third but Lauren Esman, pitching in relief, got out of the jam unscathed to keep it a three-run game. The Crimson Tide got on the board in the bottom of the third with a pair of RBI singles to draw within a run, but Arkansas capitalized on a pair of Alabama errors in the fifth to score a pair and move back ahead by three. The score remained at 5-3 heading to the bottom of the seventh and Alabama looked to start a late rally, loading the bases with nobody out. A single from Emma Broadfoot moved everyone up 60 feet and made it a two-run game but three-straight strikeouts extinguished any comeback attempt.

Ashley Prange was 3-for-3 with two runs scored, tying her career high for hits. Bailey Dowling was 2-for-2 from the cleanup spot, including a double for the second-straight game.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy

"I was really pleased with our pitchers, other than the freebies. All three of them pitched pretty effectively, but we just gave them too many walks. Offensively we just have to score more runs, simple as that. When we get bases loaded in the seventh with nobody out, we have to win the game. In the first inning, we had the bases loaded with one out and couldn't put it away. We got a strikeout and a popup. Maybe if we get a hit there and put a crooked number on the scoreboard, then Arkansas is playing on their heels and we're excited. Instead, they score in the top of the second and now we're on our heels. So, the exact opposite could have happened."

Highlights

Alabama falls to 63-13 all-time vs. Arkansas, including a 33-3 mark in Tuscaloosa]
The Tide is 7-4 this season when opponent scores first
The seven walks drawn ties a season high, previously doing so on Feb. 24 against Southeastern Louisiana
Ashley Prange's three hits ties her career high, last doing so at Florida on April 11, 2022

Scoring Summary

T2 | Arkansas got on the board first with an RBI double (0-1, 1 Out)
T2 | The Razorbacks tacked on two more with a single through the right side (0-3, 2 Out)
B3 | Bailey Dowling got Alabama on the board with an RBI single up the middle (1-3, 0 Out)
B3 | Kali Heivilin dropped a check-swing single into left field to drive in a run (2-3, 2 Out)
T5 | A dropped fly ball in the outfield allowed a run to score for the Razorbacks (2-4, 1 Out)
T5 | Another dropped fly ball with two out extended the inning and plated a run (2-5, 2 Out)
B7 | A bases-loaded single from Emma Broadfoot scored one (3-5, 0 Out)

Up Next: vs. Arkansas (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Monday, March 20 – 6 p.m. CT – SEC Network

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