No. 23 Kentucky went into one of the most raucous atmospheres in college softball, Rhoads Stadium, and downed No. 3 Alabama for its biggest series win of the season.

The Wildcats (32-19, 14-10) have now won five of their last six conference games and are in an excellent position to host a regional round of the NCAA tournament.

All three games of the series came down to late-game heroics, with the series finale serving as an extra-innings marathon and the longest game in Kentucky history at 13 innings.

The Cats have finals this week but will travel to Lubbock, Texas for two-weekend warm-up games against Texas Tech before the SEC Tournament.

Kentucky 4, Alabama 1

The reigning SEC Player of the Week, senior catcher Jenny Schaper, struggled to set the pace against Alabama's ace and Grayson County Native Montana Fouts but rolled the Tide's star when it counted the most.

Fouts (13-2) struck out Schaper to open the game and forced her to fly out to end the top of the 3rd inning. The third time the freshman faced Schaper was in the 5th.

Kentucky loaded the bases with a walk, a single and an Alabama throwing error. Down 0-2 in the count, Schaper slapped her only hit of the game in four at-bat's, a two-RBI double to put the Cats in front.

The Cats added two more runs thanks to a SAC fly by senior Katie Reed in the 5th and an RBI double another senior, Kelsee Henson, in the 6th.

Grace Baalman (9-8) tossed another gem. She went the distance and struck out four batters. Baalman gave up six hits and saw her streak of 21.1 scoreless innings ended by a Bailey Hemphill homer in the bottom of the 6th.

Alabama 3, Kentucky 1

The Tide rallied late Saturday and clipped the Cats at the wire in another game that was tight going into the final innings.

Bama's Maddie Morgan drew a bases-loaded walk and Skylar Morning doubled in two runs as part of a three-run rally with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to overcome a 1-0 deficit.

Kentucky took the lead in the top half of the inning on Abbey Cheek's solo homer to center field, her 18th of the season.

Sarah Cornell (19-1) threw a four-hit beauty and kept the Cats bats cold for the entire game.

Autumn Humes (11-9) matched Cornell pitch for pitch for the majority of the contest until the Tide chased her in the 6th. Humes threw 5.1 innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits. Three walks offset her three strikeouts.

Grace Baalman gave up a hit and a run in less than an inning of relief work.

Kentucky 3, Alabama 2

The longest game in Kentucky softball history proved to be an instant classic.

Junior Alex Martens threaded an RBI single up the middle in the top of the 13th inning to plate Katie Reed for the game-winning run.

Autumn Humes (12-9) avenged her loss from the previous night by throwing a masterclass in pitching. The Arkansas native threw 7.1 innings in relief of Grace Baalman. She did not cede a run and allowed a single hit. Bama did draw two walks, but Humes negated those with four 4 Ks.

Humes performance overshadowed a brilliant performance by Montana Fouts (13-3). In 10.2 innings of relief work, Fouts allowed a single run, and though she walked four batters and gave up five hits, she continuously worked out of trouble, racking up eight strikeouts.

Kentucky built a 2-0 lead early in the game.

Abbey Cheek went yard for the 19th time in the opening inning, and Katie Reed singled in a run in the 2nd.

Alabama tied it at 2 with a fielder's choice and an RBI double in the bottom of the 6th.