No. 14 Alabama softball opened its final regular-season series in emphatic fashion, overpowering No. 12 South Carolina in a dominant 13-1 run-rule victory on Thursday evening in Columbia. The win, which ended after just five innings, marked Alabama’s first run-rule win in Southeastern Conference play since May 5, 2023, and its first five-inning SEC run-rule since May 6, 2021.
From the outset, Alabama was locked in, showing no signs of nerves despite the high stakes of postseason positioning. The Crimson Tide struck first in the opening inning thanks to a South Carolina throwing error that allowed second baseman Kali Heivilin to score, setting the tone early.
What followed in the second inning was an offensive explosion that completely overwhelmed the Gamecocks. Alabama scored 10 runs in the frame, matching its season-high for runs in a single inning—a feat previously achieved against UAB in a 15-1 win earlier this year.
The inning began with catcher Marlie Giles singling to left to bring in a run. After Larissa Preuitt doubled, South Carolina made a pitching change, pulling starter Jori Heard after she gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits. Reliever Sam Gress, however, struggled to stop the bleeding. Alabama continued to pile on, highlighted by doubles from center fielder Audrey Vandagriff and left fielder Lauren Johnson, along with run-scoring singles from Heivilin and first baseman Abby Duchscherer.
Giles returned to the plate later in the inning and capped off the monster frame with a three-run homer to left center, giving Alabama a commanding 11-0 lead. The homer was a clear statement that the Tide had no intentions of letting up.
South Carolina finally got on the board in the bottom half of the second inning with an RBI single by Emma Sellers, but it was far too little too late. Alabama starting pitcher Jocelyn Briski was sharp, tossing four innings while allowing just one run. She struck out three, walked one, and threw 76 pitches in a composed performance that gave South Carolina few opportunities to respond.
Alabama tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning via a bases-loaded walk to Vandagriff and a hit-by-pitch to Johnson. The scoring barrage halted there, but the damage was more than done.
The Tide’s all-around dominance, combining aggressive offense with solid pitching and capitalizing on South Carolina’s miscues, demonstrated their postseason readiness. The win gives Alabama a crucial leg up in the series and could provide momentum heading into the SEC Tournament.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Friday evening at 5 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SEC Network+. With the series opener setting such a decisive tone, Alabama will look to carry its momentum and potentially lock up a statement serie
s win on the road.
