Alabama softball fell in a pitcher’s duel Saturday against South Carolina, with a seventh-inning rally falling just short in the 2-1 loss.

The loss ended a streak of 16-straight wins by Alabama (42-10, 13-7 SEC) over South Carolina (34-17, 6-14 SEC) and evened the weekend series at 1-1. The Crimson Tide only tallied three hits in the losing effort, scoring one run on a sacrifice fly by Haylie McCleney. Alexis Osorio (13-6) took the loss in the circle, striking out nine and allowing two runs on five hits over 5.0 innings pitched. Gamecock starter Jessica Elliott (17-5) earned the win after losing Friday’s game, while Nickie Blue posted her sixth save with 3.0 relief innings.

Celebrating her senior day, Gamecock senior Alaynie Page put her team out in front first with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Page scored the team’s second run of the day in the bottom of the third, coming home on an RBI single by Kaylea Snaer to make it 2-0. Alabama was hitless until a Reagan Dykes single with one out in the top of the fourth. The Tide would eventually put two runners on base in the inning but could not score as it remained a two-run deficit at the halfway point.

Osorio got the Tide out of a big jam in the bottom of the fourth, stranding the bases loaded to keep it a two-run game. The momentum carried over into the top of the fifth, with Merris Schroder leading off the inning with a double and Kallie Case followed with a single up the middle, advancing to second on the throw, as it turned back to the top of the order. McCleney lifted a fly ball to left field as both runners tagged up and advanced, with Schroder scoring on the sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game.

South Carolina loaded the bases yet again in the bottom of the fifth and Osorio got out of the jam for a second-straight inning to keep it a one-run deficit. The score remained the same heading into the top of the seventh and Schroder reached on a fielding error and advanced to second on a groundout to move into scoring position as the top of the order came up to bat. McCleney was intentionally walked in the next at-bat but a strikeout cut the two-out rally short as South Carolina held on to win, 2-1.

The series rubber match is set for a 12 p.m. CT start on Sunday, May 1.

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