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Justin Lebron Exits as Alabama Drops Game it ‘Didn’t Deserve To Win’ to Kentucky

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Justin Lebron Exits as Alabama Drops Game it  ‘Didn’t Deserve To Win’ to Kentucky


Alabama was in good shape entering the bottom of the fourth against Kentucky, leading 4-1 and appearing primed for its first SEC win of the season, despite star shortstop Justin Lebron exiting the game with an ankle injury. The Crimson Tide would then go on to implode, giving up seven runs over two error-laden defensive frames while proving unable to bring runners home in an 8-7 loss that gives the Wildcats the series win.

“We didn’t deserve to win,” head coach Rob Vaughn said. “That’s about as sloppy a defensive game as I’ve been a part of… at the end of the day, it’s basic stuff we do all the time that we just didn’t execute at a high level.”

Alabama started fast, as Lebron reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and third, and came home on a Brady Neal sacrifice fly to get the Crimson Tide on the board with two outs in the top of the first. Jason Torres drew a walk, John Lemm doubled and Luke Vaughn was hit by a pitch to load the bases, giving Alabama an early chance to blow the game open. Captain Will Plattner, making his first weekend start in three weeks, was plunked as well to load the bases.

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Starter Ben Cleaver was pulled after just 0.2 innings, as Kentucky would go on to deploy six arms in the win, none of which would go more than 3.0 innings. The Wildcats would get out of the opening frame with no further damage, and the score remained the same through the end of the second thanks to two perfect innings from Zane Adams.

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In the top of that second inning, Lebron rolled his ankle on second base after a flyout. He played the bottom of the inning at short before exiting in what appeared to be a precautionary measure.

“We’ll know a lot more tomorrow,” Vaughn said. “They taped them up. Routine fly ball and he just stepped on second base… just couldn’t go back out there (for the third). So we’ll see where we’re at tomorrow, but we probably won’t know anything on him until close to the game time tomorrow.”

Justin Osterhouse, who was out of the lineup today, replaced Lebron, going 0-for-2 with a walk. Alabama added a run in the third off a John Lemm home run and the fourth off an error, but the offense dried up after that. After just one run through four innings, the Wildcat bats picked up, scoring four off Adams in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead.

Kentucky added three more in the seventh as Hudson Brown took Matthew Heiberger deep to right field. Two of the runs were credited to Evan Steckmesser. Alabama had its chances throughout the game, notably with the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth, but was unable to cut into the deficit at all until the top of the ninth.

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Luke Vaughn drove in a run with a single through the right side, prompting a pitching change in the final frame, before nine-hole batter Brennan Holt brought in two with a single up the middle. All of a sudden, Alabama was a swing away as Bryce Fowler came up to bat with the tying run on second and the go-ahead run at first. Fowler struck out swinging to strand both of them.

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“You look up, and you’ve got 12 guys left on base,” Vaughn said. “We had three or four situations where we could’ve gotten a big two-out hit and didn’t get it. When you go on the road, you’ve got to go take it from somebody, and we just weren’t able to do that.”

Alabama has struggled with many of the same things all season, as sloppy play, stranded runners and an inconsistent bullpen continue to plague the team. With a gauntlet of an SEC schedule on tap this year, an opening series sweep against a good, but far from elite, Kentucky team could prove detrimental for the direction of the season.

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Kevin Turner Prattville YMCA Golf Tournament welcomes Auburn, Alabama players as guest hosts

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Kevin Turner Prattville YMCA Golf Tournament welcomes Auburn, Alabama players as guest hosts


PRATTVILLE, Ala. (WSFA) – One of the most anticipated golf tournaments of the year happens Monday — the 29th annual Kevin Turner Prattville YMCA Golf Tournament.

This year’s guest hosts are both placekickers — former Alabama kicker Michael Proctor and current Auburn kicker Alex McPherson.

Proctor, a Pelham High graduate, came to the Crimson Tide in 1992, a year after Turner was drafted by the Patriots. But he still remembers the Prattville native’s infectious personality that resonated with teammates. “I had heard about the tournament through the years,” Proctor said. “It’s a big deal. Kevin is a big deal. When he was playing here, and even after his unfortunate passing, he’s well remembered and respected. Anything I can do to help anything in his name, I would be willing to do. I met him when I was there. He came back, obviously knowing people on the team that he had played with. Anything I can do for his name … I’m sure anybody at Alabama or anybody that knew him would be willing to do anything for him because he would do the same for you.”

McPherson, a Fort Payne High graduate, came to Auburn in 2022, weathered an inflammatory bowel disease that sidelined him in 2024, and is now preparing for his fifth year as the Tigers’ kicker. And even though he never knew Turner personally, he’s looking forward to the tournament.

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“I’m honored,” McPherson said. “I heard what the tournament was about, Kevin and his story. I heard that one of the former Alabama kickers was going to be in the tournament and that they would love to have a kicker from Auburn. They thought that I would be a great fit.”

Proctor was recruited as one of the nation’s top prep kickers and went through a high school and collegiate career where he made 184 of 185 extra points. He kicked a then-record 60-yard field goal at Pelham and nine of his 26 field goals were longer than 50 yards. He finished a four-year career as the Crimson Tide’s second leading scorer with 326 points, earning All-American honors in 1993 and 1994 after winning a national championship in 1992 and returning as the Southeastern Conference’s top kicker a year later.

McPherson was recruited as one of the nation’s top kickers and kicked a record 61-yard field goal in high school before joining the Tigers. Like Proctor, his breakout year came as a sophomore (in 2023) where he made 13 of 13 field goal attempts and 40 of 40 extra point attempts in becoming a Lou Groza Award semifinalist.

Turner went through a five-year battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), which was triggered by CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a disease that hits home with many collegiate players from that era who witnessed it first with Turner and more recently with former Tide running back Kerry Goode.

The tournament helps fund the “Coach A Child Scholarship Fund Campaign” which provides financial aid to make YMCA services available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.

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The Prattville YMCA has provided financial aid to more than 3,300 people, many of them children, at a cost of more than $400,000. This year, the goal is to raise $285,000 for the Coach A Child Fund Campaign.

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Alabama softball No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament: Who does Tide play?

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Alabama softball No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament: Who does Tide play?


Alabama softball is the cream of the crop heading into the 2026 NCAA softball tournament, cemented as the No. 1 overall seed for the first time in 16 years.

The Crimson Tide’s ranking means it will host a regional and, if it advances, a super regional. The regional field will consist of USC Upstate (36-21), Belmont (40-11) and SE Louisiana (46-14).

The Tuscaloosa Regional is double-elimination. Action will run through May 15-17 on SEC Network.

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It marks the 27th straight NCAA Tournament appearance for Alabama and the 21st-straight season it is hosting a regional at Rhoads Stadium, not including the canceled 2020 season. The Crimson Tide has advanced to the Women’s College World Series 15 times and is looking to do so for the first time in two years.

Alabama has one national championship, which came in 2012.

Alabama is coming off a championship game loss in the SEC Tournament. Seven unanswered runs led to a 7-1 fall to Texas, securing the Longhorns their first SEC Softball Tournament title during their second year in the conference on Saturday, May 9.

Friday, May 15

  • Game 1: Alabama vs. USC Upstate, noon CT
  • Game 2: Belmont vs. SE Louisiana, 2:30 p.m. CT

Saturday, May 16

  • Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, TBD
  • Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, TBD
  • Game 5: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser, TBD

Sunday, May 17

  • Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, TBD
  • Game 7: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary), TBD

Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at ahurley@usatodayco.com.



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Alabama mom sentenced to life for hiring hitman to kill her child’s father over custody dispute

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Alabama mom sentenced to life for hiring hitman to kill her child’s father over custody dispute


An Alabama woman was sentenced to life in prison Friday after authorities said she hired a hitman to kill her child’s father in a custody dispute.

Jaclyn Skuce, 43, of Madison, was convicted of capital murder after hiring a man to kill the child’s father in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation, the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office said.

The Hartselle Police Department was dispatched on July 24, 2020, to a residence for a welfare check after Anthony Larry Sheppard failed to appear in court for a scheduled custody hearing.

His attorney had asked officers to check on him, investigators said.

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Upon arrival, police discovered Sheppard’s storm door shattered and the main door ajar.

Jaclyn Skuce, 43, was sentenced to life in prison for hiring a hitman to kill her child’s father Anthony Larry Sheppard. Morgan County District Attorney’s Office

Officers later found Sheppard dead with multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigators determined that Skuce hired Logan Delp to kill Sheppard in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation with his child.

Prosecutors said Skuce used social media to hire the hitman, who lived in Hartselle, according to the Hartselle Enquirer. She allegedly offered to pay $30,000.

The Morgan County District Attorney’s Office said Skuce wanted to prevent Sheppard from gaining custody or visitation. Morgan County District Attorney’s Office

“There are never any winners in a case like this,” Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery said following the verdict.

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“This jury was incredibly thorough and took their time to make sure they made the right decision, both for Mr. Sheppard and for the defendant.”

Vickery added, “We are glad that they convicted her for the choice she made to take Mr. Sheppard away from his family.”

Skuce was found guilty of three counts of capital murder: murder for hire, murder of a witness, and murder committed by shooting into an occupied dwelling.

The Hartselle Police Department said Skuce offered to pay $30,000 to the hitman. Hartselle Police Department

Four other defendants have been charged with capital murder in connection with Sheppard’s death.

Delp was convicted of capital murder in October 2025, the DA’s office said. Another defendant has pleaded guilty, and two others are awaiting trial.

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Skuce will be imprisoned without the possibility of parole in the Alabama Department of Corrections.



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