Alabama Softball Falls to LSU Saturday, 6-1

Saturday, April 29

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

1 p.m. CT

Alabama

35-16, 11-9

LSU

38-12, 11-9

LSU

Alabama

Alabama Softball Falls to LSU Saturday, 6-1

4/29/2023 3:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The series rubber match is set for an 11:30 a.m. CT first pitch Sunday on ESPN

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball could not overcome an early deficit Saturday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium, as LSU won game two, 6-1, to even the weekend series heading into Sunday's finale.

Alabama (35-16, 11-9 SEC) fell behind in the top of the first as LSU (38-12, 11-9 SEC) scored four runs on five hits to start the game. The Tigers added two more in the third to make it a six-run game before the Crimson Tide started to threaten in the bottom half of the inning. Back-to-back walks put two on base with one out for the top of the order, but a groundout and a baserunning miscue in the next at-bat quickly put two outs on the board and ended the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, Bailey Dowling erased the shutout with a two-out solo home run. LSU stranded two runners on base in both the fifth and sixth innings before going down in order in the seventh, as Alabama faced the same five-run deficit in the home half of the seventh. The Tide got the leadoff batter on but that was all as Alabama could not scratch another run across.

Dowling's home run was her eighth of the season, three of which have come in the last seven games. Lauren Esman (4-3) took the loss in the circle.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy

"Give a lot of credit to LSU, they came out and played well in all three phases of the game. Their starting pitcher had a great game, they hit the ball well, and they played great defense behind her. Those three phases are the key to winning a high-level softball game like we had out there today. We were 0-for-3 in those phases and they were 3-for-3."

Highlights

Alabama falls to 42-46 all-time vs. LSU, including a 22-14 mark in Tuscaloosa
With the series on the line Sunday, the Tigers have won 10 of the 16 previous three-game series between the teams, though the Tide has won four of the five in Tuscaloosa
Bailey Dowling's home run was her eighth of the season, including three in the last seven games
Dowling's home run also erased the shutout, as Alabama still has not been shut out this season

Scoring Summary

T1 | A leadoff single and a two-base error came home on a double from Ciara Briggs (0-1, 0 Out)
T1 | An RBI single from Georgia Clark added another to LSU's early lead (0-2, 1 Out)
T1 | A two-run single through the right side doubled the Tigers' lead (0-4, 2 Out)
T3 | With two in scoring position and one out, a single up the middle made it a six-run game (0-6, 1 Out)
B4 | Bailey Dowling erased the shutout with a solo home run (1-6, 2 Out)

Up Next: vs. #13/14 LSU (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Sunday, April 30 – 11:30 a.m. CT - ESPN

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.