With a Historic Performance, Alabama Softball Tops Florida in SEC Tournament Final, 4-0
Alabama jumped out to an early lead and kept it throughout, as the third-seeded Crimson Tide beat top seed Florida and claimed a conference record sixth SEC Championship
Author:
May 15, 2021
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. For the 10th time in 13 games, Alabama scored at least one run in the first inning. No coincidence for the group that had a 12-game winning streak on the line in its tournament final against the Gators of Florida. The field itself was in awesome condition. The weather was perfect. Great coverage. The whole thing felt like a super regional, Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said.
There’s no comeback hiding against Alabama in the SEC Championship
The Gators leave the SEC Championship field trophyless and shutout, but with the NCAA Tournament to look forward to May 15, 2021 | 11:40pm EDT Hannah Adams against Texas A&M on May 8. The Gators fell in the SEC Championship 4-0 to Alabama. Photo by Faith Buckley | The Independent Florida Alligator
The clock finally struck midnight for the Florida Gators Friday.
The Gators (42-9, 19-5) broke hearts at the last minute time and time again throughout their final stretch of the season, but they couldn’t pull off a comeback against Alabama in the SEC Championship, mustering up just three hits and no runs in the 4-0 loss.
Close Contest
The Gators found themselves behind early once again. Missouri put a runner across the plate in the first. However, unlike the dramatic finishes of games past, Florida answered in bottom of the second.
Kendyl Lindaman launches a ball over the left-field fence to put the Florida Gators up against Missouri in the SEC Softball Semifinals. (Photo Credit: @GatorsSB / Twitter)
In fact, Florida actually opened a lead of their own. In the third inning, Kendyl Lindaman hit a two-run home run, her 70th in her career. Then, two innings later in the fifth, Florida tacked on two additional runs. Missouri answered with a solo shot in the fifth, but the Gators held a 5-2 lead.
The Gators (42-9) fell behind in the top of the 1
st inning of play, 3-0, to the Crimson Tide (45-7). Alabama was able to manufacture a three-run inning, two of which were unearned, via a squeeze bunt from Jenna Johnson and a defensive miscue later in the inning.
In the following frames,
Elizabeth Hightower (16-5) and the Gators defense settled in to retire the next 10-straight Alabama batters, before Elissa Brown reached in the top of the 5
th inning. Brown was immediately erased when Wilkie threw her out trying to steal second base for the second out.
After an infield single by Mack and a walk to Hemphill,
Hoover and Lindaman lift Florida to SEC Championship
Florida advances to SEC Championship May 14, 2021 | 9:12pm EDT Florida s Jaimie Hoover stands in the batter s box against Louisville February 27. Hoover drove home the winning run over Missouri Friday to advance the Gators to the SEC Tournament final. Photo by Faith Buckley | The Independent Florida Alligator
Senior left fielder Jaimie Hoover stepped into the batter’s box calm and collected, as if it were batting practice. Instead, it was the bottom of the seventh inning in a postseason game, tied 6-6 with the game-winning run on third
Her bat never moved an inch from her shoulder while Missouri s Emma Nichols breezed three pitches by her, only one f