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The fourth-ranked Tennessee softball team rallied from a three-run deficit after three innings Sunday to beat No. 2 Alabama, 7-3, in the second game of a doubleheader in Tuscaloosa, salvaging the final game of the series.

Alabama (20-2, 2-1 SEC) beat the Lady Vols (21-3, 1-2) on Saturday (8-0) and earlier Sunday (13-2).

The victory was the ninth for the Lady Vols in the last 16 meetings with the Tide in a rivalry that has seen the road team going just 2-12 during that span.

"We just didn't pitch well in the first and second games of this series," Lady Vol co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. "We were behind on every batter, issued a lot of walks and put too many runners on base.

"In today's first game we were out-hit just 9-8, but lost 13-2. After that game, we challenged our pitchers and the entire team, and they responded. . . . It's very difficult to lose two games by the run-rule and then battle back to win the final game of a league series on the road in a hostile stadium."

The Lady Vols banged out eight hits and posted a six-run inning in the second game Sunday. Sophomore first baseman Tiffany Huff went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and the game-tying hit in the fifth. Junior left fielder Lillian Hammond had two hits and scored a run, senior third baseman Tonya Callahan (1-for-3) homered and scored twice, and sophomore center fielder Erinn Webb (1-for-4, run) knocked in the eventual game-winning score on a single.

Senior Megan Rhodes (9-1) relieved freshman starter Ashton Ward, throwing one-hit ball over five innings with three strikeouts.

In the first game, Alabama took advantage of five UT walks, two errors and a hit batsman.

Senior catcher Shannon Doepking led the Lady Vols with a 3-for-3, two-RBI performance, while freshman Kelly Grieve went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

The Lady Vols will play host to Tennessee State in a 5 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday at Lee Softball Stadium.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.