Alabama Softball Held the Sooners to One Run in Game 2

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - With their backs against the wall, Alabama softball came out swinging in Game 2 of their home series against top-ranked Oklahoma, and they didn't stop until the dust settled on a dominant 6-1 victory Sunday evening. The win evens the series and sets up a winner-take-all Game 3 Monday night.

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The Crimson Tide's bats wasted to time heating up. In the bottom of the second, momentum sparked when Lauren Johnson drove in the game's first run on a fielder's choice grounder. The Crimson Tide took the early 1-0 lead, and weren't done yet. With two outs, Salen Hawkins looped a single into shallow left to keep the inning alive, and Kristen White followed with a clutch base hit into shallow right, bringing Johnson home from second base.

The bottom of the third brought fireworks. Kali Heivilin launched a solo shot over the left field wall, extending the Crimson Tide's lead to three and sending Rhoads Stadium into a frenzy. The Crimson Tide continued their offensive surge in the fourth. Hawkins again played a pivotal role, laying down a textbook bunt to load the bases with no outs. Then Audrey Vandagriff lifted a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Johnson to tag and score from third.

The turning point came in the bottom of the fifth - when Abby Duchscherer stepped to the plate and demolished a two-run homer. The crowd erupted as the Crimson Tide extended the lead to a commanding 6-0, leaving the Sooners scrambling for answers.

The Crimson Tide's defense and pitching stood tall through six innings, holding the Sooners scoreless. The Sooners finally cracked the scoreboard in the top of the seventh with a solo homer by Barker, but it was too little, too late.

From timely hitting to lockdown pitching and flawless execution, the Crimson Tide left it all on the field for Game 2. Now, with the series even, all eyes turn to Game 3 on Monday, April 14, at 6 p.m. CST, streaming live on SEC Network.