TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball secured its first Southeastern Conference series win of the season with an 8-5 win in game three over Georgia Sunday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium.

Alabama (25-13, 4-5 SEC) took the first lead of the game over Georgia (24-10, 5-7 SEC) on a second inning solo home run from Abby Duchscherer but the Bulldogs quickly tied it up with a solo home run to lead off the next half-inning. Georgia took the lead later in that same inning with two on and two out as Sarah Gordon hit a three-run home run to make it 4-1. The Crimson Tide bounced right back in the home half of the third, with an RBI single and three doubles all contributing to a five-run third as the lead quickly swung back in Alabama’s favor, 6-4.

As the rain started to fall in the fifth inning at Rhoads Stadium, Riley Valentine added some insurance with a two run double to stretch the lead to 8-4. With it still a four-run game in the top of the seventh, the first three Georgia batters all reached safely with nobody out. An errant throw on a groundout moved everyone up 60 feet and scored a run but the Tide got a lucky bounce on the next pitch as Valentine corralled a ball in the dirt and caught the lead runner off the bag at third for out number one. A fly ball to right went for out number two and a groundout to second was fielded by Kali Heivilin for the final out to secure the win and the series.

“We were very gritty today. In the bottom of the third, we had a huge inning. We passed the baton very well, we had four or five straight hits. That was a great response by the offense after Georgia scored in the top of the inning. We’re a resilient group and are happy to get our first SEC series win under our belt.”

Highlights

• Alabama is now 54-24 all-time vs. Georgia, including a 27-8 mark in Tuscaloosa, and has never lost a home series to the Bulldogs
• The 14 hits give the Crimson Tide’s 15 games this season with double-digit hits, with today as its second instance and highest total in conference play
• The eight runs is Alabama’s highest total in SEC play since scoring nine at Kentucky last season (March 29, 2024) and the 14 hits is its highest conference total since earning 14 on April 11, 2022 at Florida
• Six of the 14 hits were doubles, the Tide’s most in a game since Feb. 21, 2020 vs. Penn State
• Larissa Preuitt was 3-for-3 at the plate, including a pair of doubles
• Audrey Vandagriff was 2-for-4 at the leadoff spot, extending her reached base streak to 25 games and giving her a team-leading 15 multi-hit games this season
• Abby Duchscherer had two hits, including her fourth home run of the season

Scoring Summary

• B2 | Abby Duchscherer bounced a solo home run off the scoreboard in left center (1-0, 1 Out)
• T3 | Paislie Allen tied the game with a solo home run (1-1, 0 Out)
• T3 | Sarah Gordon hit a three-run home run (1-4, 2 Out)
• B3 | Brooke Ellestad drove in Audrey Vandagriff with an RBI single (2-4, 1 Out)
• B3 | An RBI double coupled with a throwing error plated two runs for the Tide (4-4, 1 Out)
• B3 | Larissa Preuitt gave Alabama the lead with an RBI double (5-4, 2 Out)
• B3 | Salen Hawkins bounced an RBI double off the wall in left field (6-4, 2 Out)
• B5 | Riley Valentine laced a two-run double into the right field gap (8-4, 2 Out)
• T7 | Jaydyn Goodwin reached first base on a throwing error and scored one (8-5, 0 Out)

Up Next: vs. Alabama State/Samford (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

• Tuesday, April 1 vs. Alabama State – 4 p.m. CT
• Tuesday, April 1 vs. Samford – 6 p.m. CT