10 hours ago
Grace Wesoly | SEC Network
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 5 seed Alabama downed the defending SEC Tournament Champion, No. 4 seed Arkansas, 3-2, in an intense nine-inning fight.
In the top of the ninth with two outs, Bailey Dowling’s hot shot down the left field line brought in two runs for the extra-inning quarterfinal victory. The Hogs pushed one more run across in their final comeback attempt but couldn’t convert another.
The highly anticipated battle in the circle began just as expected with Montana Fouts and Chenise Delce each delivering two strikeouts within the first frame.
„She’s the heart of this team,“ Dowling said, describing Fouts. „She’s the leader. This is it. We love her and anything for this team and Montana.“
The two went on to throw over 100 pitches each as Fouts struck out nine in 6.2 innings and Delce sat down 10 in 8.1 innings. The Tide jumped to an early 1-0 lead due to a fielding error in the second frame before Cylie Halvorson later tied the game with an RBI single to center in the sixth, 1-1.
Heading into the ninth, Delce started to lose some steam as she walked two batters and a passed ball put them into scoring position. Dowling’s two-RBI missile past third put Alabama’s win into motion as the Hogs took Delce off the mound, 3-1. Arkansas pushed one more run across the plate before finalizing the 3-2 decision.
„Honestly, I was just trying to see a pitch that I could drive and do it for Montana and my teammates,“ Dowling said. „As soon as Montana came out, that fired me up and I just wanted to do it for them.“
As the NCAA strikeout leader, with 311 on the season, Fouts guided the Tide through almost seven innings against the Hogs. Fouts exited the game with an apparent leg or ankle injury in the seventh inning, leaving a runner on first with two outs as Alex Salter took over in the circle. She left the game with 108 pitches thrown including 66 strikes, nine strikeouts, three walks, three wild pitches and five hits allowed.
„We just rallied behind her,“ Dowling said about Fouts coming out of the game. „I mean, Salt came out there, she pitched great, gave us a chance and we got it done.“
As 2022 SEC Tournament Champions, Arkansas was looking to earn its second title in program history. The Hogs now hold a 14-19 overall record in the tournament with regular-season titles from 2021 and 2022 in the books. Arkansas is also the only SEC team to record top-four conference finishes in each of the last three seasons.
Alabama marked its 26th SEC tournament appearance with an all-time record of 46-27 in the tournament. Head coach Patrick Murphy boasts a 42-27 record in the SEC tournament and the Tide is seeking its seventh tournament title.
„We’ve been working towards this all year. It’s a young team with eight newcomers, five freshman,“ head coach Murphy said. „I think tonight you saw the real Alabama, just gritty, resilient.“
How It Happened
T2 | Ally Shipman led off the second with a single through the left side, advancing to second after Emma Broadfoot walked. The Hogs snagged the first out of the inning before a costly fielding error by first baseman Halvorson helped Kristen White reach first and scored a run. A wild pitch would advance both runners to scoring position, but Delce stood strong, logging another strikeout. Fans held their breath as Larissa Preuitt sent a fly ball to left field and leftfielder Raigan Kramer charged in to make an impressive diving catch, causing an eruption among the ecstatic home crowd. Alabama 1, Arkansas 0
T3 | After Dowling notched a one-out infield single, Kenleigh Cahalan drilled a line drive to left field as Kramer sprinted at full speed towards the foul line, making yet another amazing grab to hold off the Tide as Arkansas easily ended the inning with momentum on their side. Alabama 1, Arkansas 0
T4 | Delce fed her infield a pair of grounders to get an early two outs before White and Jenna Johnson notched back-to-back singles in left field, landing at second and third with the threat of another run looming. The battle between Delce and Preuitt brought the crowd to their feet as they worked their way to a full count. Arkansas fans went wild after Delce tempted Preuitt with a rise ball high and away, striking her out swinging to end the inning with no damage done. Alabama 1, Arkansas 0
T5 | Following Delce’s first walk of the game with two outs in the fifth frame, Cahalan advanced to second on a wild pitch to put Alabama in scoring position again. However, Delce remained steady, sending Shipman spinning after a nine-pitch battle while logging her sixth strikeout of the matchup. Alabama 1, Arkansas 0
T6 | Alabama started the sixth with a walk, putting in Faith Hensley as a pinch runner to ramp up their speed. Kali Heivilin’s sac bunt moved her to second before White crushed a line drive back to Delce who made a mind-blowing grab for the second out of the inning. Johnson snuck a hit up the middle with Hensley wheeling her way home, but Razorbacks centerfielder Reagan Johnson came up firing with a perfect throw to get the final out at home as the crowd erupted in response to their continued defensive dominance. Alabama 1, Arkansas 0
B6 | The Hogs carried an immense amount of momentum into the bottom of the sixth with the home crowd one their feet. Leadoff batter Johnson dribbled a grounder towards third and sped towards first with plenty of time, sending Arkansas fans into an uproar. Although Kramer popped up her sac bunt attempt into foul territory for the first out, Johnson found another way to second after a wild pitch by Fouts before she intentionally walked Hedgecock who also received a pinch runner. Halvorson stepped up to the plate as the crowd hung in anticipation, and she delivered in the form of a line drive single to center field that brought in the tying run and put runners on the corners. Kristina Foreman popped up to provide the Tide with two outs, but Halvorson later advanced to second on a wild pitch and Hannah Gammill was intentionally walked to load the bases. With the lead on the line and Kacie Hoffman up to bat, Fouts stayed stoic to take her down swinging and send the tied game into the seventh. Alabama 1, Arkansas 1
B7 | Fouts exited the game with an apparent leg injury after striking out Johnson for the second out of the seventh, leaving a runner on first as Salter took over in the circle. She threw four straight balls to Kramer before Rylin Hedgecock beat out an infield single to load the bases. Halvorson stepped into the batter’s box with the game on the line once again but hit into a fielder’s choice that sent the game into extra innings. Alabama 1, Arkansas 1
T8 | Delce gave up a two-out double down the left field line to Heivilin but struck out the next batter to protect the Hogs. Alabama 1, Arkansas 1
B8 | Foreman led off with a walk before Gammill sent a dying line drive into left field, but leftfielder Johnson matched her opponents‘ dramatic flare with a spectacular diving catch to earn the first out and keep Foreman on first. The Tide then turned a quick double play to send themselves back to the bats. Alabama 1, Arkansas 1
T9 | With one out in the ninth, Delce walked two consecutive batters as a passed ball then moved them to second and third. Dowling took advantage of the opportunity, hitting a rocket toward the hot corner that brought in both baserunners and pushed Alabama ahead. Cahalan then laid down a bunt in no man’s land to put runners on the corners, forcing the Hogs to retire Delce after 165 pitches and enter Hannah Camenzind. Cahalan advanced to second on a wild pitch, but a pop up to second and a infield groundout sealed the inning. Alabama 3, Arkansas 1
B9 | The Razorbacks refused to give up in the ninth with two outs. Catcher Lauren Camenzind went down swinging before Alabama’s Johnson made yet another diving catch in left field to bring Arkansas down to its final out. Johnson drew a walk before Kramer dropped a fly ball into shallow left field. In a panic, the throw home went wide, allowing Johnson to score and setting Kramer at third. Alabama intentionally walked Hedgecock before Halvorson found herself with the game on her shoulders yet again. A groundout to the Tide’s shortstop finalized the extra-inning decision as the Hogs fell just short of comeback. Alabama 3, Arkansas 2
Quotables
Head Coach Patrick Murphy
On Fouts‘ injury… „She slipped a little bit. I’ve seen it before with a pitcher where the surface gets… like concrete and it’s slick.“
On regrouping in extra innings… „We had way too many emotions going on. We were flying way too fast and the butterflies were going in every direction, not in the same direction, so we needed to slow down, take a deep breath and it was going to happen.“
On the remainder of the tournament… „We were not going to pitch [Montana]. She was going to pitch the first two and then we were going to go with the other three the rest of the way, whatever happened. So now one of the three horsemen get a try tomorrow and whoever we play, it’s going to be a great game; we know that because this is the best tournament in the country.“
Up Next
Alabama (40-17, 14-10 SEC) will face the winner of Game 9 between 1-seed Tennessee and 8-seed Florida in the SEC Tournament semifinals on Friday, May 12 being played 35 minutes after the conclusion of Game 10 as televised on ESPN2.
Arkansas (38-17, 14-10 SEC) is eliminated from the tournament and awaits the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday night. The bracket for the NCAA Tournament will be released at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
