Alabama
Alabama softball vs Texas today: recap, score and highlights
The SEC Tournament championship trophy is headed to Austin.
The Texas Longhorns erased an early 1-0 deficit and never looked back in a 7-1 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC’s title game Saturday at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
Alabama, ranked third in D1Softball’s top 25 rankings, fell to 49-7. Texas, ranked No. 6, improved to 42-10. The Crimson Tide will learn their NCAA tournament seeding and four-team regional draw in Sunday’s selection show, which begins at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Texas starter Teagan Kavan (22-4) was dominant in a complete-game masterpiece against the Tide, holding Alabama to one run on three hits. Her only blemish was a towering home run by Alexis Pupillo with two out in the first inning.
Texas scored three runs in the fourth inning to open up a 5-1 lead. Katie Stewart lined an RBI single in the fourth and would launch her 25th homer of the season two innings later in the sixth to cap the scoring. Stewart was 3-for-5 at the plate as Texas outhit Alabama, 13-3.
Jocelyn Briski (21-3) suffered just her third loss of the season and was tagged for two runs on six hits in three innings. Vic Moten surrendered five runs (three earned) on five hits in 2 1/3 innings. Kaitlyn Pallozzi recorded the final five outs for Alabama.
Texas, the defending national champion, won its first conference tournament trophy since 2005. Alabama was seeking its seventh SEC Tournament title in program history, and its first since 2021.
The Crimson Tide will have to settle for a top-eight national seed in the NCAA Tournament and hopefully a run to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Following are live updates from Alabama-Texas in the 2026 SEC Tournament championship game on Saturday from Lexington.
Kavan finished off a complete-game masterpiece with 108 pitches. She allowed just three hits against an Alabama lineup that had totaled 21 hits in its first two games at the SEC Tournament.
Kavan finished with 12 strikeouts in seven innings. Texas wins it, 7-1, and is your 2026 SEC Tournament champion.
Pallozzi yielded back-to-back singles with two out but escaped without giving up any damage. All the same, Alabama is down to its last three outs against Texas.
Audrey Vandagriff, Ambrey Taylor and Salen Hawkins are due up for the Tide as Kavan looks to finish off a complete game victory.
Kavan picked up her 10th strikeout when she retired Alexis Pupillo to open the bottom of the sixth. Ana Roman flied to left, and Alisa Sneed made a running catch in left on a hard-hit fly ball from Marlie Giles for a 1-2-3 inning.
Texas leads, 7-1, and is three outs away from an SEC Tournament championship.
Reese Atwood drove in the Longhorns’ seventh run of the afternoon with an RBI sac fly to deep left. Hannah Wells flied out to center for the third out.
Texas now leads it, 7-1. Alabama wil look to get something going off Teagan Kavan in the sixth with Alexis Puplilo, Ana Roman and Marlie Giles due up for the Tide.
That home run felt inevitable. Stewart crushed her 25th homer of the season over the scoreboard in left to extend Texas’ lead to 6-1 in the sixth inning.
Texas is still threatening with runners at the corners and one after. Moten just departed after taking a hard-hit line drive to the stomach. Moten was in some obvious pain as Patrick Murphy and the trainers came out to check on her. Hopefully Moten will be OK and just got the wind knocked out of her a bit.
She leaves after 2 1/3 innings. Kaitlyn Pallozzi (8-0, 1.62 ERA) takes over in the circle for Alabama.
Nothing doing for Alabama in the fifth.
Kristen White used her speed to leg out an infield single to shortstop with one down. Teagan Kavan fell behind 3-1 on Jena Young before getting Alabama’s leadoff hitter to swing at a rise ball for the second out. Brooke Wells grounded into a force at second to end the inning.
Texas holds a 5-1 lead over Alabama after five innings. Kavan has thrown 86 pitches and surrendered three hits.
Alabama pitching gets its first 1-2-3 inning of the afternoon as Vic Moten needed 10 pitches to retire Alisa Sneed, Jaycie Nichols and Ashton Maloney in order.
Can Alabama build on some momentum from the fourth and cut into this Texas lead? Longhorns are up 5-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth. Salen Hawkins, Kristen White and Jena Young are due up for Alabama against Texas’ Teagan Kavan.
So much for cutting into the Longhorns’ lead there. After loading the bases with one out, Teagan Kavan struck out Audrey Vandagriff for a big second out. Ambrey Taylor went down swinging to leave the bases loaded.
Alabama drove Kavan’s pitch count up a bit that inning. The Texas starter is at 72 pitches after four innings, but the Horns still lead the Tide, 5-1, headed to the fifth.
Alabama is starting to make more consistent contact. The Tide caught a break when Brooke Wells reached on a fielding error at first to open the fourth inning. Alexis Pupillo then grounded back to the mound to move pinch runner Kinley Pate to second.
Another ball that took a strange bounce, this time off Jaycie Nichols at third, allowed Ana Roman to reach on a single as Pate moved to third with one down. Marlie Giles drew a walk to load the bases.
Audrey Vandagriff is up with the bases loaded and one down in the fourth against Teagan Kavan.
Walks, hit batters, wild pitches, errors, dropped third strikes. They all plagued Alabama in that fourth inning.
Ashton Maloney used a high hop at second base for a single with one out. With two down, a wild pitch from Moten allowed Maloney to reach second. That proved costly as Moten took Katie Stewart to a full count before the Texas slugger lined a single into left for a 3-1 Longhorns lead. Stewart took second on the throw in.
Martinez drew a four-pitch walk, and Moten hit Leighann Goode with a pitch to load the bases for her third free pass of the inning.
Alabama looked to be out of the inning without further damage, but Audrey Vandagriff appeared to lose a fly ball in the sun. Two runs cross the plate to make it 5-1.
Texas scores three runs on only two hits in the fourth as eight batters came to the plate. Moten threw 39 pitches in the fourth inning. She struck out Hannah Wells for the third out.
Still some chances for Alabama to get back into the game with the heart of the order due up, but with Teagan Kavan dealing, the SEC Tournament championship trophy looks headed to Austin midway through this one.
After three shaky innings from Briski in the circle, Vic Moten takes over for Alabama in the fourth. Briski allowed two runs and six hits. Moten is scheduled to face the 9-1-2 spots in the order for Texas: Jaycie Nichols (1-for-2), Ashton Maloney (0-0) and Kayden Henry (0-2).
Kavan is dealing. She froze Salen Hawkins for a strikeout to open the bottom of the third before doing the same to Kristen White on a drop ball at the knees. Jena Young flied out to center for the third out.
Kavan, the Most Outstanding Player in last year’s Women’s College World Series, has struck out six of the first 10 batters she’s faced and has thrown back-to-back 1-2-3 innings. She’s given up one hit, the home run to Alexis Pupillo.
Texas leads Alabama, 2-1, headed to the fourth inning.
Texas strands two in the third after picking up two more hits.
Leighann Goode singled to right with one down, and Reese Atwood fought back from a 1-2 pitch for a single up the middle. After a lengthy at bat, Hannah Wells popped up in foul territory to Ambrey Taylor. Briski then struck out Alisa Sneed for the third out.
That was a 23-pitch inning for Briski, who doesn’t look comfortable at all in the circle today. She’s already thrown 70 pitches through three innings. Texas has had traffic on the bases in every inning. Salen Hawkins, Kristen White and Jena Young are due up for Alabama in the third.
Marlie Giles struck out swinging on four pitches to open the inning. Audrey Vandagriff, who was 4-for-7 in the tournament entering the day, just missed a double down the left field line before striking out on a rise ball up over the shoulders. Ambrey Taylor grounded to short as Teagan Kavan finished off a 1-2-3 inning.
Vivi Martinez, Leighann Goode and Reese Atwood are due up for Texas in the third. Longhorns lead Alabama, 2-1.
Texas loaded the bases after freshman Jaycie Nichols reached on an infield single to second base with one out. Longhorns coach Mike White used pinch hitter Victoria Hunter to try to capitalize. She reached on a second straight infield single to Jena Young at second as pinch runner Taylor Anderson scored the tying run.
Ambrey Taylor made a terrific stretch at third to field a force out, but Alisa Sneed scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice for a 2-1 Texas lead. Katie Stewart popped up to second base for a big third out.
Texas scores two runs on three hits. That was a 32-pitch inning for Briski in the second. Marlie Giles, Audrey Vandagriff and Taylor are due up for Alabama in the second.
With two down, Alexis Pupillo got a pitch up in the zone and crushed it far out to right for a 1-0 Alabama lead. That’s Pupillo’s 17th home run of the season and her second in three days at the SEC Tournament.
Teagan Kavan threw 19 pitches in the first inning for Texas. Reese Atwood, Hannah Wells and Alisa Sneed are due up in the second inning for the Longhorns.
Take a look at Pupillo’s no-doubt blast.
Katie Stewart won the first battle between SEC Player of the Year and SEC Pitcher of the Year. Stewart hit a sharp single to right off Jocelyn Briski with one out in the first. Stewart advanced to second on a groundout by Vivi Martinez, but Leighann Goode popped up in foul territory to Salen Hawkins for the third out.
Briski retired Kayden Henry on a first-pitch pop up to open the inning, which allowed her to throw 15 pitches in the first. Jena Young, Brooke Wells and Alexis Pupillo are due up for Alabama against Texas starter Teagan Kavan.
Will the Tide keep the bats hot for the third straight day in Lexington?
Kayden Henry, Katie Stewart and Vivi Martinez are due up for Texas against Alabama ace Jocelyn Briski in the first inning. Stewart was named SEC Player of the Year on Friday, while Briski took home SEC Pitcher of the Year honors. Patrick Murphy earned SEC Coach of the Year honors.
The Crimson Tide take the field in their home white jerseys and pants with Crimson pinstripes. Texas is wearing its Burnt Orange jerseys over matching pants.
Chris Nabors is back behind the dish to call the balls and strikes today at John Cropp Stadium. Steve Gould is the third base umpire with Marty Abezetian down at second base. Cam Ellison will be making the decisions at first base.
First pitch for Alabama-Texas is less than 10 minutes away.
For Alabama:
For Texas:
In the circle for the Longhorns today is Teagan Kavan (20-4, 2.72 ERA). Last year’s WCWS Most Outstanding Player, Kavan is making her 27th start of the season, and her third against Alabama.
Kavan held the Crimson Tide to one run on five hits in the opener of the regular-season series back on April 2 in Tuscaloosa. Two days later, she suffered the loss after Alabama tagged her for seven runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.
In the Longhorns’ win over Georgia on Friday, Kavan allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings. All four Georgia runs came in the fifth inning.
Here’s the 1-9 lineup for coach Mike White’s team.
| CF | 21 Kayden Henry | L | .410 |
| 1B | 20 Katie Stewart | R | .429 |
| SS | 23 Viviana Martinez | L | .381 |
| 2B | 43 Leighann Goode | R | .375 |
| C | 14 Reese Atwood | R | .351 |
| DP | 13 Hannah Wells | R | .302 |
| LF | 9 Alisa Sneed | R | .268 |
| 3B | 24 Jaycie Nichols | R | .330 |
| RF | 7 Ashton Maloney | L | .289 |
Alabama’s ace has been nothing short of magnificent in the circle this year. Her 1.38 ERA ranks second best nationally. Briski’s only real blemish in SEC play came against Texas back on April 2 in the opener of a three-game series in Tuscaloosa. She allowed five runs on six hits in three innings, marking only her second loss of 2026.
Across all three games of the series, Briski surrendered seven runs on 14 hits over 7 2/3 innings.
Murph is going with the same lineup and batting order for the third straight day at the SEC Tournament. That’s hardly a surprise. Alabama produced a combined 16 runs on 21 hits in its two games against Arkansas and Florida.
Jocelyn Briski (21-2, 1.38) is in the circle for the Crimson Tide and is seeking her 22nd win. She went the distance in Thursday’s 8-1 victory over Arkansas, surrendering one unearned run on three hits. Briski struck out seven and walked two.
2B
4 Jena Young
L
.331
1B
15 Brooke Wells
R
.412
DP
31 Alexis Pupillo
L
.404
RF
21 Ana Roman
L
.326
C
34 Marlie Giles
R
.388
LF
12 Audrey Vandagriff
L
.314
3B
36 Ambrey Taylor
R
.340
SS
47 Salen Hawkins
R
.292
CF
3 Kristen White
L
.328
Surely there won’t be any “co-champions” in the SEC Softball Tournament this year. Today’s forecast for Lexington, according to the National Weather Service in Louisville:
“Sunny, with a high near 75. West wind around 7 mph.”
It’s currently sunny and 71 degrees in Lexington with first pitch roughly 90 minutes away. No chance of rain in the forecast either Saturday afternoon or evening, per the National Weather Service.
Where to watch Alabama vs Texas softball today: TV channel, streaming for SEC Tournament championship game
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Livestream: Fubo, ESPN+
Alabama-Texas will broadcast nationally on ESPN in Week 14 of the 2026 NCAA softball season. Beth Mowins, Michele Smith and Jessica Mendoza will call the action from the broadcast booth at John Cropp Stadium. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+ and FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Alabama vs Texas softball start time today
- Date: Saturday, May 9
- Start time: 4 p.m. CT
Stream Alabama vs. Texas
The Alabama-Texas game starts at 4 p.m. CT Saturday from John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
SEC Softball Tournament 2026: full bracket, final scores
First-round games, Tuesday, May 5
- Game 1: Auburn 6, Missouri 2
- Game 2: Mississippi State 4, Kentucky 3
- Game 3: Ole Miss 2, South Carolina 0
Second-round games, Wednesday, May 6
- Game 4: Auburn 11, Texas A&M 8
- Game 5: Arkansas 3, Mississippi State 0
- Game 6: Ole Miss 4, Tennessee 1
- Game 7: Georgia 7, LSU 3
Quarterfinals, Thursday, May 7
- Game 8: Florida 10, Auburn 9
- Game 9: Alabama 7, Arkansas 1
- Game 10: Texas 6, Ole Miss 0
- Game 11: Georgia 10, Oklahoma 5
Semifinals, Friday, May 8
- Game 12: Alabama 9, Florida 1
- Game 13: Texas 5, Georgia 4
SEC Championship Game, Saturday, May 9
- Game 14: Alabama vs. Texas, 4 p.m., ESPN
Follow us at @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook, for ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
Alabama
Kids take center stage at Alabama Shakespeare Festival summer camp
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – You don’t find too many camps where you learn how to slap someone. But this summer, you will in Montgomery. It’s one of many kids camps put on by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
“We have our Camp Shakespeare Junior which is our half day for the littles, kindergarten through 3rd grade,” said Cameron Williams, the ASF director of education. “We have Big Kid Shakespeare camp and everyone is learning all about ‘Much Ado About Nothing’.”
They learn about on stage combat, different acting techniques, and also how to be creative and think on their feet.
“I think theater skills are life skills. So, what makes this camp special is we’re doing more than just boosting literacy and doing theater things. We’re doing life skills, learning what it means to be team players, about discipline, and working with people who may have different personalities than you.”
Different kids have different talents. And even if your child isn’t up for a lead role in the next play, this place can leave a lasting impact.
“If you’re looking for a place where your kid can come out of their shell, to learn how to speak in front of a group, and develop some confidence, this is the place to be.”
It’s a place that’s a real treasure in Montgomery, and its mining some young gems, who one day, could be on the big stage themselves. There are still more ASF camps going on this summer for pre-teens and even adults.
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Copyright 2026 WSFA. All rights reserved.
Alabama
Alabama Defense Contractor Agrees to $507K Settlement Over Cybersecurity Allegations
Huntsville-based defense contractor LOGZONE Inc. has agreed to pay $507,144 to resolve allegations that it failed to comply with cybersecurity requirements in contracts with the U.S. Department of the Navy, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The settlement resolves claims brought under the False Claims Act alleging that LOGZONE knowingly submitted claims for payment while not meeting certain cybersecurity standards required under two Navy contracts.
Federal officials alleged that between May 2021 and March 2025, LOGZONE did not implement specific cybersecurity controls outlined in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171. The standards are designed to protect sensitive defense information handled by government contractors.
According to the Justice Department, the deficiencies were identified during an assessment conducted by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). The evaluation resulted in LOGZONE receiving a score of -170 on a scale ranging from -203 to 110, indicating significant gaps in compliance with required security controls.
The government alleged that the missing cybersecurity measures could have increased the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information or the exploitation of company systems.
The settlement does not include a determination of liability. As part of the agreement, LOGZONE will pay $507,144 to resolve the allegations.
Federal officials said the enforcement action reflects ongoing efforts to ensure government contractors comply with cybersecurity obligations tied to federal contracts, particularly those involving sensitive defense information.
The investigation and settlement involved the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, the Department of the Navy, the Defense Contract Management Agency, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
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Additional details regarding corrective actions taken by the company were not immediately available.
Alabama
Alabama’s Self-Proclaimed ‘AI Watchman’ Unseats Incumbent Public Service Commissioner – Inside Climate News
MOBILE, Ala.—Jim Zeigler didn’t have much time to celebrate.
The morning after his Republican primary victory on Tuesday and a gathering of supporters at Wintzell’s Oyster House, the 78-year-old hit the road early to drive the nearly four hours to his hometown of Sylacauga, southwest of Birmingham, to attend a funeral.
But even this early, Zeigler already had his mind on November.
“It’s going to be a tough, tough race,” Zeigler said.
He may be right.
Like Republicans across the South, Zeigler pointed to recent public service commission elections in Georgia—two Republican to Democratic flips—as a seeming electoral mandate from voters: Lower energy bills and curb data centers, or face citizens’ wrath at the ballot box.
But, Zeigler said, he believes Democrats’ success in Georgia also came because of an influx of campaign cash from out-of-state donors—a challenge he said he anticipates Alabama Republicans in utility regulation races will face in November as well.
“It’s not only a possibility that kind of campaign will be attempted in Alabama,” Zeigler said. “It sneaked up on the Republicans of Georgia. It won’t sneak up on me.”
The election of a Democrat to one of Alabama’s at-large PSC seats would be a major electoral shakeup. The last Democrat to serve on the body was elected in 2008.

Zeigler said his aim in the campaign—both in the primary and general—is to channel voters’ frustrations about data centers and solar farms.
It was those issues, according to Zeigler, that put him past the finish line in the race against his Republican opponent, Chris Beeker, an incumbent with a 5 to 1 campaign finance advantage.
Beeker, who was appointed to serve the remainder of his father’s term, ran a much less vocal campaign, a stark contrast to Zeigler’s.
During his campaign, Zeigler has promised he will serve as an “AI watchman in Alabama,” shielding residents from the economic and environmental burdens of the data centers that power AI technology.
He said he will soon begin rolling out a detailed plan about how he’ll conduct that oversight. One of the first things that should be made public, Zeigler said, is a list of all data centers in Alabama currently operating, proposed or under construction.
“Right now there is no such a list available to the public,” Zeigler said.
Both Alabama Power and the Alabama Public Service Commission have declined requests by Inside Climate News for such a list.
Still, despite Zeigler’s pledges, the ability of he or any other public service commissioner to regulate industry effectively will soon be more limited than ever before. Earlier this year, the Alabama Legislature passed a law expanding the commission from three to seven seats and consolidating regulatory power in a newly-created secretary of energy.
Experts said the legislation stood to benefit Alabama Power, the state’s largest utility, by making the initiation of rate cases scrutinizing energy prices more difficult.
Zeigler seemed reticent to criticize the new law on Wednesday.
“The fact is it’s law,” he said. “It’s something that I’m just going to have to live with. Move on.”
This won’t be Zeigler’s first time serving on the body. A perennial candidate, he served on the Public Service Commission for a single term from 1975 to 1979. Half a century later, after running for various offices and serving as Alabama’s state auditor from 2015 to 2023, Zeigler said he recognizes that if he wins in November, he’ll be serving in a state much different than it was all that time ago. In 1979, Zeigler said, no one had heard of a data center, much less had one proposed to be built in their back yard. Times have changed. Now, Zeigler himself is figuring out how to deal with ever-evolving technology.
Zeigler said while his campaign hasn’t generated AI images for publication, it may have shared some created by supporters. Both Zeigler’s website and social media pages feature AI-generated images, one portraying Zeigler in a heroic stance, “THE WATCHMAN” emblazoned across the bottom.
In it, Zeigler holds a bottle labeled “sunlight, integrity, common sense and sweet tea.” Zeigler, in a houndstooth blazer, a cape and a “people over profits” belt buckle, appears above a monster truck painted in the University of Alabama’s crimson and white. “Zeigler,” the side of the truck says. “Watching out for Alabama!”
Ultimately, Zeigler said it doesn’t matter if his campaign or supporters use AI-generated images in his run for office.
“I guess eventually I’m going to have to learn how to use AI,” he said. “But the idea that you can’t be a watchman over data centers and try to oversee them if you use any AI yourself is a juvenile analysis.”
Zeigler will face Democrat Sheila McNeil in the November election.
About This Story
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