No. 5/9 Arkansas Falls in SEC Tournament Quarterfinals to No. 3/4 Alabama, 7-1

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 5/9 Arkansas Razorbacks fell to the No. 3/4 Alabama Crimson Tide, 7-1, during the quarterfinal round of the 2026 SEC Tournament at John Cropp Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

With the loss, Arkansas will enter the 2026 NCAA Tournament with a 42-11 overall record. The Hogs’ regional opponents will be revealed on Sunday at 6 p.m. during the 2026 NCAA Division I Softball Selection Show on ESPN2.

Arkansas took a 1-0 lead courtesy of Tianna Bell scoring on a passed ball in the top of the fourth inning. Bell reached previously in the frame and made it to third courtesy of a single and a two-base error. Alabama tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo home run from Audrey Vandagriff. The Crimson Tide then took the lead for good by plating three runs in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of a two-run home run from Hannah Wells and a solo shot from Alexis Pupillo. Alabama made it the final, 7-1, with a solo home run from Ambrey Taylor in addition to an RBI single from Wells and an Arkansas fielding error in the bottom of the sixth.

Tianna Bell, Dakota Kennedy, and Kailey Wyckoff each registered singles for Arkansas. Robyn Herron took the loss in the circle, falling to 15-6 on the season after allowing three earned runs on five hits and a walk while striking out eight in 4.1 innings. Saylor Timmerman took it the rest of the way for Arkansas, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk in 1.2 innings.

Jocelyn Briski (21-2) went the distance to earn the win for Alabama (48-6), allowing one unearned run on three hits and two walks and picking up seven strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Arkansas and Alabama turned to their aces as the Razorbacks started Robyn Herron, while the Crimson Tide went with Jocelyn Briski in the circle.

Brinli Bain battled through a 10-pitch at-bat to draw a walk with one out in the top of the first to become the first baserunner of the contest. Alabama’s Jena Young reached on a two-base error to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Herron would retire the next three batters courtesy of an infield popout, a groundout, and a strikeout.

Dakota Kennedy led off the top of the second with a single through the right side for the first hit of the ballgame. Alabama second baseman Jena Young made an impressive diving stop before flipping it to second to record a fielder’s choice to rob Atalyia Rijo of a base hit and record the second out of the frame. Briski would then complete the scoreless inning by inducing a groundout.

Marlie Giles led off the bottom of the second inning with a walk and then moved to second base on a bunt single from Audrey Vandagriff. Following a groundout, Giles would move to third on a flyout in foul territory. Vandagriff later stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position before Herron picked up an inning-ending strikeout.

Briski retired the Razorbacks in order during the visiting half of the third inning. Herron then struck out the side in the bottom of the third inning.

Tianna Bell singled to right field and advanced to third on an error on the play in the top of the fourth inning. She would later score on a wild pitch to give Arkansas a 1-0 lead. Alabama tied the game on a solo home run to right field off the bat of Audrey Vandagriff.

Kailey Wyckoff singled up the middle to lead off the top of the fifth inning. Alabama took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of a one-out two-run home run from Brooke Wells. Jena Young reached on a fielding error before scoring on Well’s two-run shot. Alexis Pupillo then increases the Crimson Tide’s lead to 4-1 with a solo home run in the very next at-bat. Saylor Timmerman entered the circle in place of Herron after Pupillo’s round-tripper and would only yield a walk to keep the deficit at three.

Arkansas was retired in order in the top of the sixth inning. Ambrey Taylor increased the Crimson Tide’s lead to 5-1 with a lead-off solo home run to center field in the bottom of the sixth inning. Alabama added two more on an RBI single from Hannah Wells and an Arkansas fielding error.

NOTABLES

• Tianna Bell increased her reached-base streak to eight games courtesy of a fourth-inning single.
• Brinli Bain has now reached base in 49 of her 52 games this season.

Up Next

The Razorbacks’ regional opponents and dates will be revealed on Sunday at 6 p.m. during the 2026 NCAA Division I Softball Selection Show on ESPN2.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.