Baseball Downs SEMO to Advance to Regional Championship Game
6/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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TUSCALOOSA, AL-- Utilizing the arm of Jeffrey Norris and a balanced offensive attack, Alabama (50-14) defeated Southeast Missouri State (37-20) by a score of 7-4 to advance to the Tuscaloosa Regional Championship Round.
Alabama, the region’s No. 1 seed, and the No. 3 seed nationally, must defeat the region’s No. 3 seed, Florida Atlantic, twice tomorrow in order to advance to next weekends NCAA Super Regionals.
Norris improved his record to 6-1 after pitching eight strong innings allowing only four runs and tying his career high with eight strikeouts. Alabama had a solid offensive attack collecting 12 hits and scoring in three consecutive innings to eliminate Southeast Missouri State from the Tuscaloosa Regional.
Alabama broke through first in the fifth inning after both teams went scoreless through the first four innings of the game. With one out in the sixth inning, senior Scott McClanahan singled to left center field to drive home freshman Allen Rice who had reached on a double. Sophomore Peter Stonard plated McClanahan with a double down the left field line. Stonard came in to score when senior Jeremy Brown singled through the left side of the infield to round out the scoring at 3-0.
The Indians rallied in the bottom of the fifth to score an unearned run and make the score 3-1.
The Tide bats got the run back, however, as sophomore Chad White scored on a single from shortstop Adam Pavkovich to push the lead to 4-1.
White continued his hot hitting in the top of the seventh as he drove in Stonard and Brown with a single to right field. Senior Brent Boyd scored on an infield single by Carlos Sosa to end the Tide’s scoring for the night and give Alabama a 7-1 cushion.
Although Norris allowed a three-run eighth inning home run to Southeast Missouri’s Vern Hatten, the Indians would come no closer as Alabama head Coach Jim Wells brought in freshman Taylor Tankersley in the ninth to collect his second save of the day.
The win gives Alabama 50 wins for the fourth time under the tutelage of Wells.
Donnie Fuller took the loss for the Indians dropping his record to 3-2. Southeast Missouri finishes the season having tied their school record for victories with 37.
Alabama and Florida Atlantic are scheduled to play at 2:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon. If Alabama wins then a second game between the two teams will be played 45 minutes after the completion of the first game. Tickets still remain and can be purchased at the stadium.
