Alabama Softball Falls in Close Battle with No. 2 UCLA, 5-3

3

Alabama
UA

3-2

5

UCLA
UCLA

9-0

3

5

W: Faraimo (5-0)
L: Fouts, Montana (2-1)

CLEARWATER, Fla. – In one of the marquee matchups at this year’s TaxAct Clearwater Invitational, 15th-ranked Alabama fell in a close back-and-forth battle with No. 2 UCLA, 5-3, Friday night.

For the fourth time in its first five games, Alabama (3-2) scored first courtesy a first inning two-run home run from Ashley Prange before UCLA (9-0) responded in the bottom half with a grand slam to move ahead 4-2. Prange slugged her second homer of the game in the…