Razorbacks drop series finale at No. 6 Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 6 Alabama scored in each of the first three innings during Sunday’s series finale to defeat the Razorback softball team, 9-0. Arkansas (25-20, 10-11) stranded seven runners in the game and could never break through against the Alabama pitching staff. The empty weekend against the Crimson Tide is the time this season Arkansas has been swept in a Southeastern Conference series.The Razorbacks had the first scoring chance of the day with two runners on in their half of the first. Whitney Cloer had an infield single and Brittany Robison drew a walk out of Alabama starter Kelsi Dunne to bring Miranda Dixon to the plate with two outs. Dixon, however, fouled out to third base to end the inning.With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Charlotte Morgan flied out to center field to plate the first run of the game in the form of Brittany Rogers. After an RBI groundout by Amanda Locke and a run-scoring single by Ashley Holcombe, the final run of the inning came home to score on a double to right center by Cassandra Reilly-Boccia, which gave the home team the 4-0 advantage.Amie Hubbard singled to lead off the second inning for Arkansas, but Dunne got out of the inning without any further damage done.The Crimson Tide batted around in the bottom of the second and scored three runs on four hits to extend the lead to 7-0. Whitney Larsen scored the first run of the inning on a suicide squeeze. An RBI single by Morgan brought Rogers around to score and after a pitching change—Kim Jones in for Dixon—Alabama plated another run when Reilly-Boccia earned a bases loaded walk.Once again, Arkansas put itself in position to score in the top of third. Down two outs, Cloer, Robison and Dixon each drew a walk from Dunne to load the bases. The Crimson Tide made a pitching change and brought Morgan in to close the inning. On three pitches, Morgan struck out Hubbard to stop another Razorback scoring opportunity.Alabama (38-8, 16-6) tacked on a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the third. With runners on second and third, Morgan singled up the middle to plate both runs for the final 9-0 tally. Morgan finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate with four RBI and picked up the win in relief.In the Razorbacks’ final chance to extend the game, Alabama turned a 5-4-3 double play to end the game and secure the game and the series sweep.Arkansas returns to Fayetteville for its next contest, an April 22 midweek, non-conference matchup with Missouri State. First pitch of the game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Bogle Park. ArkansasRazorbacks.com will carry live stats and the Internet-only broadcast.

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