CLEARWATER, Fla. – Alabama softball scored 5 unanswered runs over the primary two innings in Thursday’s matchup towards Duke on the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational earlier than the Blue Devils mounted a late comeback try that fell simply quick because the Crimson Tide held on to win, 5-4.

For the third time this season, Alabama (3-1) scored first, plating three runs within the opening body. A two-run homer from Ashley Prange prolonged the result in 5-0 within the second earlier than Duke (3-3) responded with its personal two-run blast within the fourth to interrupt into the run column and make it 5-2. The Blue Devils made it 5-3 with a solo dwelling run within the fourth and the rating remained the identical heading to the seventh inning. A leadoff double, wild pitch and sac fly scored one for Duke to make it a 5-4 recreation and a two-out double put the potential tying run in scoring place earlier than a groundout ended the rally because the Crimson Tide held on to win.

The highest three within the order went a mixed 4-for-10, with Prange posting her third multi-hit recreation of the season with an RBI single and two-run dwelling run. Within the circle, Montana Fouts (2-0) went the space, hanging out eight for her second complete-game victory of the younger season.

Highlights

• Alabama has scored first in three of its 4 video games this season, all of which got here within the first inning
• Ashley Prange now has three multi-hit video games to this point this season, 14 as a member of the Crimson Tide and 39 for her collegiate profession
• Prange’s three RBIs can also be a season excessive, and the house run was her second of the season
• The entire recreation was Montana Fouts’ second of the season in as many begins and 67th of her profession
• The win was the 78th of Fouts’ profession, placing her one shy of tying Alexis Osorio (2015-18) for fifth on the Alabama profession report books

Scoring Abstract

• B1 | Ashley Prange drove in Kenleigh Cahalan with an RBI single (1-0, 0 Out)
• B1 | Ally Shipman smashed a double to left area, driving in Prange (2-0, 0 Out)
• B1 | Jenna Johnson tacked on one other run with an RBI single up the center (3-0, 2 Out)
• B2 | Prange smoked a line drive dwelling run to middle area, scoring two (5-0, 2 Out)
• T4 | Kelly Torres received the Blue Devils on the board with a two-run dwelling run (5-2, 1 Out)
• T6 | Torres hit her second dwelling run of the day, a solo shot to proper middle (5-3, 1 Out)
• T7 | A sac fly RBI plated a run for Duke (5-4, 0 Out)

Up Subsequent: TaxAct Clearwater Invitational (Clearwater, Fla.)

• Friday, Feb. 17 vs. #2/2 UCLA – 3 p.m. CT – ESPN2
• Saturday, Feb. 18 vs. #20/20 UCF – 1:30 p.m. CT
• Saturday, Feb. 18 vs. Indiana – 5 p.m. CT
• Sunday, Feb. 19 vs. #6/7 Florida State – 4 p.m. CT