Softball Rally Falls Short in SEC Tourney Against Gamecocks
5/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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CHATTANOOGA, TN—It is d?j? vu for the No. 18 ranked (USA Today/NFCA) Alabama softball team as they dropped a 6-4 decision to South Carolina in the second round of the 2002 Southeastern Conference Softball Tournament.
In last year’s SEC Tournament, the Tide opened up with a victory over Arkansas, lost in the second round to South Carolina and dropped down to the elimination bracket to face the Auburn Tigers.
Much like last season, this year the Tide opened the tournament with a victory over Arkansas and as a result of the loss to the Gamecocks, Alabama will now face Auburn in an elimination game.
Alabama struck early, with Suzanne Olcott and Jackie McClain posting back-to-back doubles with Olcott scoring on McClain’s one-out double for a 1-0 lead.
The Gamecocks responded in the top of the second inning sending eight batters to the plate resulting in five hits and three runs and a 3-1 South Carolina lead.
USC added another run in the top of the third when Amber Curtis hit her sixth home run of the season, a solo shot that hit off the top of the bleachers beyond the leftfield fence for a 4-1 Gamecock lead.
South Carolina put more distance between the two teams with two more runs in the sixth making it a 6-1 lead.
The Tide cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth with three straight singles to lead off the inning from McClain, Ashley Courtney and Lacy Prejean. Prejean’s single drove in Deasy Phillips, who was running for McClain. Following a pop out to the shortstop, Capper Reed doubled to right-centerfield scoring Courtney cutting the lead in half, 6-3.
The Crimson Tide tried rallied in the bottom of the seventh with Jackie Wilkins and Olcott reaching on back-to-back singles putting runners on first and second with no outs. McClain stepped to the plate and Stacey Johnson, who was on in relief of USC starter Megan Matthews, grooved a 0-2 pitch that McClain delivered into right-centerfield for a run-scoring double, cutting the lead to 6-4. Courtney drew a walk, loading the bases with no outs prompting a return by Matthews who got Prejean to pop out, Angela Johnson to hit into a fielder’s choice and Reed to strike out ending the game.
Alabama will now face the Auburn Tigers in an elimination game for the second straight year on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
2002 Alabama Softball
Arkansas vs Alabama
May 09, 2002 at Chattanooga, Tenn. (Jim Frost Stadium)
Arkansas 1 (38-25-1)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
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T. Woolley 3b............ 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 1 0
B. Woodward ss........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
J. Young 2b.............. 3 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 0
D. White c............... 3 1 2 0 0 0 7 1 0
Z. Davison pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
S. Hunter rf............. 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
J. Kaiser pr............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
K. Eiben 1b.............. 3 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0
N. Deeter lf............. 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
R. Talley dp............. 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
A. Wharton cf............ 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Schlichtman p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Totals................... 26 1 6 1 0 8 18 8 4
Alabama 2 (45-17)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
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Jackie Wilkins cf........ 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
Suzanne Olcott 2b........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 0
Jackie McClain 1b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 7 0 3
Ashley Courtney rf....... 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
Lacy Prejean c........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 6 2 0
Angela Johnson lf........ 3 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 2
Emily Currie dp.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Deasy Phillips ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Leah White 3b............ 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
Jennifer Reach ss........ 2 1 1 0 1 0 2 2 1
Erin Wright p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Totals................... 24 2 6 1 2 6 21 8 7
Score by Innings R H E
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Arkansas............ 000 100 0 - 1 6 1
Alabama............. 100 100 X - 2 6 0
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E - A. Wharton(6). DP - Alabama 1. LOB - ARKANSAS 4; Alabama
7. 2B - D. White 2(9). SH - White(13). SB - Courtney(9).
Arkansas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
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Schlichtman......... 6.0 6 2 1 2 6 24 27 110
Alabama IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
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Erin Wright......... 7.0 6 1 1 0 8 26 26 85
Win - E. Wright (13-3). Loss - Schlichtman (19-9).
Save - None. WP - Schlichtman(5). Inherited runners/scored:
None. Pitches/strikes: Schlichtman 110/67; E. Wright 85/69.
Umpires - HP: Tim King 1B: Ted Broyles 3B: Donnie Teague
Start: 12:00 Time: 1:47 Attendance:
Game notes:
Jackie Wilkins has now led off seven straight games getting
on base. Head Coach Patrick Murphy claims 200th career victory.
Game: SEC1
