Alabama Softball Can't Hold Late Lead, Loses Series to Texas A&M

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Another SEC series ends in disappointment for Alabama softball.

After a Texas A&M pitching change, the No. 13 Crimson Tide had momentum and the lead heading into the fifth inning. But the defense once again let down the pitching as the No. 12 Aggies scored seven runs over the final three innings for the 9-4 victory and series win in Tuscaloosa on Monday night at Rhoads Stadium.

"If you don't come ready to play, you will get beat. Period," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said after the game. "There's no more patty cakes in the SEC. Maybe eight years ago, you could play a little off and win. Not now. You just can't do that."

The Aggies looked to have all momentum heading into the bottom of the fourth inning with a 2-0 lead. Alabama had a chance to take the first lead of the game in the bottom of the third, but A&M's Jazmine Hill made a diving catch in centerfield to rob Kenleigh Cahalan of a potential multi-RBI hit. And then the Aggies put two runs up on the board next half inning with the help of two Alabama errors.

However, Alabama was able to get back in the game after Tricia Ford took out Aggie ace Emiley Kennedy before the bottom of the fourth. Reliever Brooke Vestal gave up three free passes and only retired one Alabama batter. When another reliever came in for A&M, Kali Heivilin took advantage with a two-RBI single up the middle to give Alabama the 3-2 lead.

Alabama gave the lead right back in the next half inning after a one-out HBP spiraled into a two-run inning for the Aggies to go ahead 4-3. It seemed the tide could be turning back in favor of Alabama when Cahalan led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple. She did come in to score on a wild pitch to tie it at 4-4, but the Crimson Tide was unable to retake the lead.

From that point on, it was all Aggies. Alabama committed two of its four errors in the sixth inning and made some other mental mistakes in the field as Texas A&M added on five more runs. That would be more than enough for Kennedy to work with, as she had re-entered in relief. As a team, the Crimson Tide now has 26 errors through 15 SEC games.

"You can't give somebody four extra outs plus two or three mental mistakes," Murphy said. "Can't do that. Too many giveaways. Too many freebies."

Alabama did have four runs on five hits, but Murphy said the team needs to have better at-bats all the way around. The team left five runners on base and had multiple missed opportunities for a knockout blow at the plate.

Coming into the game, Alabama starter Kayla Beaver had only allowed 27 total runs on the season. She gave up a season-high nine on Monday night; however, only five of the runs were earned.

Alabama has now lost four of its five SEC series and falls to 30-10 (7-8 SEC) on the season. Next up, the Crimson Tide will travel to Arkansas for a three-game series against the Razorbacks.