After a Run Rule Win, Alabama Softball Drops Two to Tennessee

Alabama outfielder Ana Roman (21) rounds third base after hitting a home run during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images This series was reminisc

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What is the story about?

This series was reminiscent of the Alabama-Texas series — but in a bad way.

GAME 1: ALABAMA 12, TENNESSEE 0 (5 innings, run rule)

The Crimson Tide players came out guns a-blazing and looked like they would sweep the series. Brooke Wells got things going when she smacked her 20th homer of the season on the third offering of the 1st inning by Karlyn Pickens.

Wells started the 3rd inning off with a walk. A fielding error put Marlie Giles on base.

Ana Roman and Audrey Vandagriff (RBI) both walked. Ambrey Taylor singled two in to make it 4-0 Tide. Alabama again loaded the bases when Salen Hawkins was hit by pitch. Pickens then plunked Alexis Pupillo (RBI) and the day was over for the Vols ace.

It was deja vu in the 4th inning when Giles walked and Roman reached on an error. Vandagriff was hit by a pitch and Taylor (RBI) walked. Hawkins collected an RBI on a firm single and Kristen White picked up two on a slap to make it 9-0 Bama.

Jena Young joined the fun in the 5th with a solid lead off double to the wall. Giles bunt singled and then a big blast from Roman pushed three more Alabama runs across the plate to give the Tide a dozen runs.

(Adjust your volume before playing this clip unless you like shrill)

Jocelyn Briski (19-1) was again outstanding. She allowed just two hits and none after the 2nd frame. The junior had one walk and struck out six in an 80-pitch 5 inning complete game.

NOTES:

On White’s 4th inning single to right field, Vandagriff easily scored and coach Patrick Murphy sent Taylor home as well. Fortunately for the crimson and white, the throw home sailed high and Taylor scored the ninth run of the game. However, a good throw probably would have gotten her.
Briski made a nice play on a high chopper to throw out a Vol at first base.
Vandagriff almost made a terrific diving catch in left center field.
Wells’s homer made her the 4th player in program history to hit 20 home runs in a season Bailey Hemphill (26 – 2019), Kelly Kretschman (25 – 1998), Kaila Hunt (21 – 2012).
Roman also hit her 12th home run of the year, the most for an Alabama freshman since Reagan Dykes hit 12 in 2016.
The 12 runs scored are the most by Alabama over Tennessee since a 12-0 win in 2009.
It was senior night for three Volunteers including Pickens. The other two are bench players.

GAME 2: TENNESSEE 2, ALABAMA 0

For as many accolades that Patrick Murphy handed out to his staff for Game 1, they utterly failed the team in Game 2. He was so proud of the scouting that his assistants did for Game 1, but no attaboys this time.

Tennessee threw a little curve ball at Bama by starting Sage Mardjetko (11-1) and she had the Tide batters flummoxed. The junior was perfect against Alabama the first time through the lineup. The Crimson Tide did not get a baserunner until the 4th when Brooke Wells walked and Jena Young was hit by a pitch with one out. Alas, Marlie Giles and Ana Roman struck out to end the threat.

In the 7th inning with one out, Giles walked and Audrey Vandagriff FINALLY broke up the no-hitter with a one out single. Sadly, it was the only hit for the Crimson Tide in the entire game.

In response, Bama starter Vic Moten (16-4) had been solid through 4 frames, allowing only a pair of singles. However in the 5th, the Vols leadoff hitter hit a ball out of the park for the first run of the game. Moten walked the next batter on four pitches and was looking a little winded during a timeout, but got out of the inning with no further damage. More bad news in the 6th when Tennessee hit another solo homer to make it 2-0 bad guys and that is how it stayed.

NOTES:

Is there a grade below an F? That is what I would give the Tide’s preparation for this game for the offense. They really did not even hit the ball hard — aka noisy outs.
Moten wasn’t terrible, but she made two huge mistakes.
Tennessee stole a base in the second straight game. Giles made an awful throw that luckily did give the runner an extra base.

GAME 3: TENNESSEE 4, ALABAMA 0

Erin Nuwer got the start for UT and walked two, hit a batter, and gave up a sharp single to Ana Roman, as well as some hard ground outs. However, the Tide could not score. Vols coach Karen Weekly must have gotten a little nervous since she yanked Nuwer in favor of Karlyn Pickens to start the 3rd. It turned out to be a good move as the All-American was striking out Bama batters left and right. Brooke Wells recorded a solid single off her in the 3rd, but no scores.

In the 4th, Ambrey Taylor hit a sky high pop to left center field and the two Vols outfielders had an I-got-it-you-got-it moment and the ball dropped between them. Taylor made a head’s up move to make it all the way to second base safely. But she was left stranded.

In the bottom of the frame, Alabama returned the favor when the UT leadoff hitter popped to shallow left field near the foul line. Audrey Vandagriff came in and Salen Hawkins charged back and they collided. The Vawl made it to second base. To this point, Jocelyn Briski had been absolutely dominant with 4 Ks and no base runners allowed. But something happened out in the circle after the two-base error that blew her concentration. A double and a single made it 2-0 orange. A walk and a sac bunt put a runner at third who would score on a sac fly.

A walk and singles scored a fourth run for the home team in the 5th.

Kaitlyn Pallozzi entered the game in the 6th. She hit batter, but got out of the inning unscathed.

With three outs to go, pinch-hitter Mari Hubbard broke up the shutout with a solo home run.

With no outs, Taylor was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. That was followed by some sad strikeouts by Hawkins, Kristen White, and Alexis Pupillo to end the game and the series.

Pickens struck out 11 Bama batters and had no walks.
Up until Monday’s game, Briski (19-2) has been outstanding this season. Her issues that she had in the 4th inning were something that Tide fans had not really seen this season. At one point, pitching coach Lance McMahon had a mound visit but whatever he said did not work.
Taylor made a nice play on a line drive catch with runners on base.
Pupillo, Hawkins, and White each struck out twice. Taylor was the only starter to NOT whiff.
Alabama seemed a little rattled by the crowd on Monday. The first time I have seen that.

[SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: The section below is not all rainbows, lollipops, and unicorns. If we see an issue that we deem worth discussing, RBR is not going to shy away from it. That is the MO that this whole website is based on. If you want sunshine pumped up your nether regions, there are PLENTY of those people more than willing to provide that service. If you are easily triggered, stop reading now and play the above video on repeat. If you live in the real world, carry on my wayward son/daughter.]

SERIES NOTES

Alexis Pupillo was having an outstanding season at the plate. Because of her performance, Patrick Murphy put her at the top of the order. However as of late, she has been struggling. So many walks and SO many strikeouts have hindered her season. It’s very similar to the season Vandagriff was having as a leadoff batter. It’s almost as if these young ladies are getting bad advice — and pressure — from someone that they need to get on base instead of just doing what they were doing that brought them success. Pup was 0 for 8 with 5 Ks and no runs scored. Lexi has been a big part of firing the team up this year. When she is not doing well and her confidence is waning, the team does not have that extra juice. Unfortunately, there are no more midweek cupcake games in which to fix these problems.
Change-ups… It’s the end of April and the Tide hitters still cannot deal with change-ups. There’s your cheat code Bama opponents!
The World-Famous “Green Light Girls” did not attempted to swipe a bag the whole series.
Unfortunately, the Bama softball team suffered the same fate at the Tide baseball team in Knoxville this weekend. The men had a big win in Game 1 and then lost the next two. Ugh.