No. 3/3 Alabama softball (42-7; 18-6 SEC) carried a strong offense throughout its final series of the regular season to sweep No. 25 Ole Miss (34-19; 12-12 SEC). The Crimson Tide will head into the SEC tournament riding a 10-game win streak.

GAME ONE:

The Alabama offense had a productive lineup Thursday night as it recorded its third mercy rule win in conference play. The team opened up its final regular season series on May 6 with an 8-0 win. 

“It’s a great win and great way to start a series at home,” Head Coach Patrick Murphy said. 

Every player in the Crimson Tide lineup recorded a hit in the game, with 13 hits total and a .565 batting average. 

Sophomore Savannah Woodard, reigning Southeastern Conference (SEC) Newcomer of the Week, was one of four Crimson Tide players with a multi-hit game. She opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with a single to right field, giving Alabama an early 2-0 advantage. 

Woodard finished with a team-leading three RBIs on the night. 

The leadoff batter reached base in three of the five innings, which put Alabama in prime position to score. The Crimson Tide offense finished the night hitting above a .500 clip with runners on base, a .600 batting average, and runners in scoring position, .714 batting average. 

The two runs were all the support junior Montana Fouts (18-3; 1.61 ERA) needed as she pitched her third shutout in conference play and her sixth shutout this season. The Kentucky native had eight strikeouts in game one — a pair of strikeouts in each of the first three innings and one in each of the final two frames. 

Fouts held the Rebels to a .125 batting average, 2-for-16, and did not allow a base runner into scoring position. 

GAME TWO:

The offensive surge from the series opener carried over to Friday night and propelled Alabama to a 11-7 win against Ole Miss — the Crimson Tide’s sixth conference series win of the year. 

For the second consecutive game, every player in Alabama’s starting lineup had at least one hit. Six players had multi-hit performances. 

“I told the team it was a really good game and we put pressure on the entire time,” Murphy said. 

Despite missing a large part of the season due to injury, sophomore Jenna Johnson hasn’t slumped since her return to the lineup last weekend against Georgia. She posted a .363 average, which includes her 2-for-4 effort at the dish in game two. Johnson credited the trainers for getting her back in shape for the game.  

“When the injury first happened, I didn’t know if I was going to return this season,” Johnson said. “I’m lucky to be able to get back on the field, and returning to this lineup has been awesome.” 

The Ole Miss defense committed five errors, allowing four unearned runs to score and helping an already hot Alabama offense. Murphy said he believes Alabama fans put added pressure on the Rebels’ defense.

Alabama posted a whopping .417 batting average on the night and found success extending innings. The team went 5-for-13 with two outs, totaling a .385 batting average.

Senior Krystal Goodman (8-1; 3.38 ERA) pitched six-plus innings to secure the win in the circle, and Fouts recorded her fourth save of the season. 

GAME THREE: 

A double-digit hit game by the Alabama offense combined with a double-digit strikeout performance by Fouts (19-3; 1.60 ERA) in the circle allowed ‘Team 25’ to cap off the regular season with a 6-1 win against Ole Miss. 

“I think we are really excited to be playing on all cylinders with the pitching, defense and timely hitting,” Murphy said. 

The program recognized its seniors before the start of the Saturday, May 8, contest. Five of the six seniors in the lineup reached base, and graduate student Alexis Mack led the way with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Mack described the past two years in Tuscaloosa as a “blessing.”

“I told the coaches and team it was really important for me after leaving Oregon to just end my career full of a lot of love and happiness, and that is what this team has done,” Mack said. “I’m just very grateful for the coaching staff to take a chance on me.”

Like games one and two, the Alabama offense opened the scoring on either side by plating a pair of runs in the opening frame with a single off the bat from Woodard. 

Senior Kaylee Tow delivered the biggest blow to the visiting Rebels when she belted a three-run home run over right field in the fourth inning. Tow collected multiple hits in each game of the series and finished with a .636 average on the weekend.  

Fouts’ 12 strikeouts in the game matched her second-highest in an SEC game this season. The junior struck out the side in a trio of innings and had at least one strikeout in six of the seven frames. On the weekend, Fouts pitched 13 innings, surrendered eight hits and gave up one run, which came off a solo home run in the sixth inning.  

Alabama will compete in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament at Rhoads Stadium on Thursday, May 13. Time and opponent are TBA.