Fouts strikes out 15, Cahalan walks off South Carolina

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Kenleigh Cahalan got here by with the clutch hit Alabama’s extra-inning win over South Carolina, along with her ninth-inning RBI single giving the Crimson Tide the 2-1 win in Thursday’s collection opener over the Gamecocks.

Alabama (27-11, 5-5 SEC) capitalized on a South Carolina (26-10, 3-7 SEC) error within the backside of the third to attain the primary run of the day on an Ashley Prange RBI single. The Crimson Tide loaded the bases within the backside of the fourth however left them stranded, unable to increase the one-run lead. The Gamecocks broke up Montana Fouts’ (14-6) no-hit bid with a leadoff single within the fifth and went on to load the bases with no person out. A strikeout and forceout put two outs on the board, however a handed ball on a 3rd strike within the subsequent at-bat plated the game-tying run from third earlier than a foul popup ended the inning.

South Carolina loaded the bases once more within the sixth earlier than a strikeout ended the half-inning with it nonetheless tied at 1-1. The groups went down to ensure that the rest of regulation, sending the sport to extras. Neither staff received a runner on till Jenna Johnson led off the house half of the ninth with a single. A bunt single from Larissa Preuitt put two on base after which, after a drive out at third, Cahalan got here up with Preuitt at second base and laced a single into heart area as Preuitt rounded third and slid into residence because the Tide earned the 2-1 walk-off win.

Cahalan was 2-for-4 on the leadoff spot, tallying her ninth multi-hit recreation of the season and increasing her hitting streak to 6 video games. Prange and Johnson additionally had two hits every within the successful effort, their ninth and fifth multi-hit video games of the season, respectively. Fouts struck out 15 within the complete-game win, permitting simply three hits and two walks, one intentional, with the lone run allowed as unearned.

From Head Coach Patrick Murphy

“We did not get sufficient leadoff batters on all night time, and that was the important thing. We now have to get extra leadoff runners on base. That makes it more durable on the opposite staff’s protection and pitching. General although, I believe it was an especially well-played recreation. Just one error between the 2 groups throughout a nine-inning recreation is spectacular. Montana [Fouts] and our protection took care of the remaining. Pitching and protection is normally what you need and ultimately you will give you a key hit. That is what we did within the nine-inning recreation final weekend towards Missouri and tonight it so occurred once more.”

Highlights

• The sport was Alabama’s fifth extra-inning contest of the 12 months, with the Tide now holding a 4-1 file in these video games
• Alabama is 20-6 when it scores first, together with a 5-3 mark in SEC play
• Going 2-for-4 on the plate, Kenleigh Cahalan prolonged her hitting streak to 6 video games and her reached-base streak to eight
• Larissa Preuitt’s ninth-inning bunt single prolonged her hitting streak to 4 video games and her reached-base streak to 5
• Cahalan and Ashley Prange at the moment are tied for the staff lead with 9 multi-hit video games this 12 months
• With 15 strikeouts within the win, Montana Fouts improves her profession complete to 1,071 strikeouts, passing Alexis Osorio’s (2015-18) complete of 1,063 to maneuver into third place
• The win was the 89th of Fouts’ profession, now eight away from fourth-place Stephanie VanBrakle (2003-06) with 97
• It was additionally the 108th begin of Fouts’ profession tying her with Osorio (2015-18) in fifth place

Scoring Abstract

• B3 | Ashley Prange drove within the runner from third with an RBI single (1-0, 1 Out)
• T5 | A handed ball on a strikeout allowed the batter to succeed in and a runner to attain from third (1-1, 2 Out)
• B9 | Kenleigh Cahalan dropped a walk-off RBI single into heart, driving in Larissa Preuitt (2-1, 1 Out)

Up Subsequent: vs. South Carolina (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

• Friday, April 7 – 6 p.m. CT
• Saturday, April 8 – 1:30 p.m. CT