Alabama Punches Ticket to SEC Tournament Semifinals With 3-2 Extra-Inning Win Over Arkansas

Thursday, May 11

Fayetteville, Ark.

7 p.m. CT

Alabama

40-17

Arkansas

38-17

Alabama

Arkansas

Alabama Punches Ticket to SEC Tournament Semifinals With 3-2 Extra-Inning Win Over Arkansas

5/12/2023 2:12:00 AM | Softball

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The Crimson Tide will face either Tennessee or Florida Friday on ESPN2

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It took nine innings to decide a winner between Alabama and Arkansas late Thursday night at Bogle Park, with a two-run double from Bailey Dowling ultimately pushing the Crimson Tide over the tournament host Razorbacks, 3-2, to send Alabama to the SEC Tournament semifinals.

With the win, Alabama (40-17) reached the 40-win mark for the 23rd time in program history, improving to a 63-14 all-time record against Arkansas (38-17) including a 6-1 record against the Razorbacks at the SEC Tournament.

With two on and nobody out in the top of the second, an Arkansas fielding error allowed Ally Shipman to score from second and put the first run on the board. Neither team scratched another run across until the bottom of the sixth, as a one-out single to center from Cylie Halvorson drove in the game-tying run for the Razorbacks. Arkansas had the bases loaded with two out in the bottom of the seventh, but a force out at third ended the inning and sent the game to extra innings.

In the top of the ninth, Larissa Preuitt and Ashley Prange stood at second and third with nobody out and Dowling at the plate. The junior fouled off four straight pitches before ripping a double down the third base line, driving in both runners to give Alabama the 3-1 lead. After two quick outs to start the bottom of the ninth, a walk kept the inning alive for the Razorbacks and a base hit that dropped between three fielders coupled with a throwing error allowed a run to score, making it a one-run game with the potential tying run now at third base. After an intentional walk, a groundout to short ended the rally and the game as the Tide held on to win, 3-2.

Jenna Johnson was 3-for-5 from the leadoff spot while Dowling was 2-for-5 to give her back-to-back multi-hit games at the tournament. Alex Salter (7-3) earned the win in relief after starter Montana Fouts exited with an injury in the bottom of the seventh.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy

"Again, I just want to say thanks for everyone at Arkansas for a true championship experience. It is so cool to see another SEC city embrace softball like Fayetteville has. I'm sure [Arkansas head coach] Courtney [Deifel] will say the same thing but it was a great atmosphere for college softball. The whole thing was made for a national TV audience.

"To have 40 wins against, what was going into tonight, the second-toughest schedule in the country is unbelievable to me. We did it with eight newbies, including five freshmen that all played a lot. We've been working towards resiliency, grit and determination. All those words encompass a really great athlete and I think you all saw it tonight."

Highlights

Alabama improves to 46-27 all-time in SEC Tournament play, including a 6-1 mark against Arkansas
Overall the Tide is now 64-14 vs. the Razorbacks with a 6-1 record at neutral sites
Each of the previous three meetings this season between Alabama and Arkansas were also decided by no more than two runs
The Tide is 32-8 this season when scoring first
The game was Alabama's sixth extra-inning contest of the season, with the Tide holding a 5-1 record
The three-hit day ties Jenna Johnson's career high and is the fifth three-hit game of her career, last doing so in game two this season against Mississippi State (April 15)
Bailey Dowling posted her second-straight two-hit performance, now owning a team-leading 13 multi-hit games this season
Montana Fouts ended the night with nine strikeouts, improving her season total to 311 which passes Shelly Laird's 2000 season total of 310 to move Fouts' 2023 season to eight all-time in program history

Scoring Summary

T2 | A fielding error allowed Ally Shipman to score from second (1-0, 1 Out)
B6 | An RBI single to center from Cylie Halvorson tied the game (1-1, 1 Out)
T9 | Bailey Dowling ripped a two-run double down the third base line (3-1, 0 Out)
B9 | A throwing error allowed a Razorback run to score (3-2, 2 Out)

Up Next: vs. Tennessee/Florida (SEC Tournament)

Friday, May 12 – 35 minutes following Auburn vs. South Carolina – ESPN2

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