Crimson Tide Softball Defeats Alabama Alumnae, 8-6

Saturday, October 25, 2003

Capper Reed

TUSCALOOSA, AL - Despite several alumnae rallies and a few generous calls by the umpire, the Crimson Tide softball team defeated the Crimson Tide alumnae 8-6  in the first ever Alabama Softball Alumnae Game.
 
"I think everybody involved had a great time today," said Alabama Head Coach Patrick Murphy.  "It was nice to see so many of the alumnae back today. They along with the current players are what make Alabama softball so special."
 
The Crimson Tide jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a Dominique Accetturo double that scored Ashley Courtney and Stephanie VanBrakle in the bottom of the first inning.
 
The Alumnae jumped right back into the game in the top of the second inning. Lacy Prejean led off with a single to right field.  Christy (Kyle) Langham then laid down a bunt but the home plate umpire was "shielded" on the play and unable to see Kyle was thrown out by two steps, ruling her safe on the play giving the Alumnae runners on first and second with no outs.  JC (Chapman) Hammer drew a walk loading the bases for Jennifer Reach who hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield scoring Prejean cutting the lead in half.   Kelley (Askew) Grillo was hit by a pitch loading the bases again and everybody advanced a base on a wild pitch from Erin Wright tying the game at 2-2. Olympian Kelly Kretschman followed with a single scoring Hammer for a 3-2 Alumnae lead.
 
The Alumnae added another run in the top of the third when Lacy Prejean hit a first pitch one-out offering from Erin Wright to dead centerfield for a 4-2 lead.  The first batter of the inning was Ginger (Jones) Powers who hit a bouncer right back to Wright.  Wright allowed Jones to run three-quarters of the way down the line before throwing on to first for the out, resulting in a raucous cheer from the Alumnae dugout.  Prejean then took the first pitch she saw and delivered her home run.
 
The Alumnae tacked on another run on a Crimson Tide error pushing their lead to 5-2.
 
The Tide started its come back in the bottom of the fifth with Angela Johnson hitting a solo home run off Shelley Laird to pull Alabama to within 5-3.  Kellie Deska and Deasy Phillips followed with back-to-back singles and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.  After a foul out by Leah White, Capper Reed hit a three-run shot to left field putting the Crimson
Tide on top 6-5. 
 
Jackie McClain led off the bottom of the sixth for the Tide and surprised everybody laying down a bunt and beat the throw at first.  She advanced to third on a double from Stephanie VanBrakle and scored on a sacrifice fly from Accetturo pushing their lead to  7-5 and advancing VanBrakle to third.  Staci Ramsey followed with a single scoring VanBrakle adding to their lead, 8-5.
 
The Alumnae mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh inning loading the bases for Langham who hit a ball that was bobbled by Menningmann at shortstop allowing Suzanne (Olcott) Serano to score.  But that was all the Alumnae could manage.  However the highlight of the inning was Kretschman calling her shot with one out by pointing over the left field fence. VanBrakle would have none of it though as she got Kretschman to ground out to third base en route to the 8-6 Crimson Tide victory.