Special to GC GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The No. 1/2 University of Florida softball team dropped a 4-2 decision to No. 9/7 Alabama Friday (March 21) at Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium. The Gators mounted a seventh-inning rally and had the potential tying run at the plate, but Florida was not able to complete its comeback. Freshman Delanie Gourley (Lakeside, Calif.) took the loss to fall to 11-1 on the season. Alabama got on the board with three runs in the first inning via a two-run home run and a solo shot. Freshman Chelsea Herndon (Carrollton, Texas) doubled in the bottom of the frame, but she was stranded at second base. Gourley settled down after the opening frame, holding the Crimson Tide without a hit over the next two innings. The Tide plated their fourth run in the fourth inning on an RBI single. Senior Stephanie Tofft (Lincoln, Calif.) andjunior Lauren Haeger (Peoria, Ariz.) both walked to start the Gators' half of the frame, but Florida could not produce a run. UA loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth on two hits and a walk, but Gourley got a strikeout on her last batter of the night to end the threat. Haeger replaced the freshman in the circle for the sixth inning and held the Tide scoreless for the final two frames.The junior allowed two hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. The Gators notched both of their runs in the seventh inning on a two-run groundout by Herndon, with Justine McLean (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) coming home on the play and Taylor Schwarz (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) scoring the second run on an error by the Alabama first baseman. That brought up Tofft as the potential tying run with Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) standing at third after she reached base on a walk and moved up two bases on Herndon's groundout. Tofft hit a 1-0 pitch deep to center, but the ball was caught at the wall to end the game.