TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A year after pulling off a watershed 5-1 victory at Rhodes Stadium, the Georgia State softball team fell to defending national champion Alabama 9-1, in five innings Wednesday night in front of a crowd of 2,577.

The Panthers (15-9) jumped on the board first with a run in the top of the first inning on the cool 50-degree Tuscaloosa evening. Taylor Anderson started the game with a single and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brenna Morrissey. Anderson, who is hitting .359 on the season, then scored on an RBI bunt by Callie Alford, that was Alford's 22nd RBI of the season.

The Crimson Tide (27-3 and No. 4 in this week's national poll) broke on the board with four runs in the bottom of the second inning. The Crimson Tide added three more runs in the third and two more in the fourth. Kayla Braud and pitcher Lauren Sewell both had three-run homers to propel the Alabama offense.

GSU starter Katie Worley pitched 2.0 innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits. Kaitlyn Medlam, who earned the win in Tuscaloosa last season, entered the game from the bullpen in the third inning. A positive note for the pitchers was only one walk allowed.

Alabama piled up a total of 13 hits at the plate. The Panthers got singles from Anderson and Paige Nowacki in the game. GSU also worked five walks in the contest.

Georgia State, winners of nine of its last 11 games, opens conference play by playing host to George Mason at Panthersville this weekend. The two teams have a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday and a single noon game on Sunday.