ATHENS, Ga. – Alabama softball fell to South Carolina, 6-2, Wednesday night in the second round of the 2025 SEC Softball Tournament at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Ga.

Alabama (37-21) got off to a hot start against South Carolina (40-14) as Audrey Vandagriff led off the game with a solo home run. Lauren Johnson scored later in the inning on an RBI fielder’s choice to give the Tide a two-run lead in the opening frame. The Gamecocks threatened immediately in the bottom half, loading the bases with one out. The home team plated a run on an RBI fielder’s choice, with a force out at second on the play going for out number two, before a groundout ended the inning stranding two to hold the early lead for Alabama.

South Carolina’s Ella Chancey tied the game with a one-out RBI double in the fourth and they took the lead with a two-run home run from Arianna Rodi in the bottom of the fifth. Rodi smacked her second home run of the day in the bottom of the sixth, another two-run shot to make it 6-2. Mari Hubbard led off the top of the seventh with a double to center, but the Gamecocks retired the next three to end the game.

“It was just not a good game for us. The pitches we threw that they hit were not good pitches. We missed our spots a lot unfortunately and they took advantage. They did a great job capitalizing on the mistakes. We didn’t capitalize enough in the first inning when we had our opportunity.”

Highlights

• Audrey Vandagriff’s home run was Alabama’s first to lead off a game since Kaylee Tow on March 24, 2019 at Texas A&M
• Salen Hawkins has at least one RBI in three straight game and has at least one hit in eight of the last nine
• Marlie Giles’ first inning single extended her hitting streak to a career-best six games

Scoring Summary

• T1 | Audrey Vandagriff led off the game with a solo home run (1-0, 0 Out)
• T1 | Lauren Johnson scored from third on an RBI fielder’s choice (2-0, 1 Out)
• B1 | South Carolina plated a run on an RBI fielder’s choice (2-1, 1 Out)
• B3 | Ella Chancey tied the game with an RBI double (2-2, 1 Out)
• B5 | Arianna Rodi hit a two-run home run (2-4, 0 Out)
• B6 | Rodi hit her second home run of the game, another two-run shot (2-6, 1 Out)

Up Next: NCAA Tournament Selection Show

• Sunday, May 11 – 6 p.m. CT – ESPN2