Tide Softball Splits Second Day Action at FIU Invitational
2/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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MIAMI, FL - After earning the top seed in round robin play following a perfect 3-0 record, the No. 22 ranked (USA Today/NFCA) University of Alabama softball team dropped to the consolation game after dropping a 1-0 heartbreaker to host school Florida International.
Both pitchers were engaged in a deadlock allowing only three hits between the two of them through five innings. Stephanie VanBrakle, for the Crimson Tide, allowing two hits while striking out four and Amanda Nealer, for FIU, allowing one hit while striking out six batters.
Finally the Golden Panthers struck first when Cindy Turek hit a bloop single just over the head of shortstop Jennifer Reach scoring Nicole Dubovik from second giving FIU a 1-0 lead. Florida International went on to load the bases but Erin Wright came on in relief to strike out the final batter and end the inning.
Bama made one final bid to come back in the bottom of the seventh when Jackie McClain led off with a single and was pinch run for by Deasy Phillips. Lacy Prejean then sacrificed Phillips to second. Following a strikeout, Angela Johnson drew a two-out walk. However, VanBrakle fouled out just over the right field foul line for the third and final out.
In the morning session against No. 16 ranked Ohio State, Alabama came out the aggressor in the top of the first inning with Ashley Courtney getting a single to right field. She later stole second and went to third when the throw from catcher Annie Dedic skipped into the outfield. However the next Alabama batter struck out, ending the inning.
Ohio State answered with a rally of its own in the bottom of the first inning putting runners on first and second with one out, but Jennifer Wright got the next two batters to bounce weakly back to her ending the Buckeye threat.
Bama jumped on top in the top of the second inning with Staci Ramsey leading off and drawing a walk. She went to second off a sacrifice from Johnson followed by a walk to Dominique Accetturo putting runners on first and second with one out. Ramsey got picked off of second for the second out in the inning. Leah White drew a walk followed by a walk to Reach loading the bases with two outs for Jaclyn Wilkins. Wilkins pushed the count to 2-2 before hitting a line shot down the left field line scoring Accetturo and White for a 2-0 Alabama lead.
Ohio State responded in the bottom of the second posting two two-out hits that scored three runs and they added another run in the bottom of the third inning to push their lead to 4-2.
Bama fought back in the top of the fourth inning starting with a one-out double down the leftfield line from White. Reach then singled back up the middle scoring White and cutting the lead in half. Wilkins walked, Courtney lined out and McClain, after working the count to 3-1 was intentionally walked. Prejean then hit a slow roller back up the middle scoring Reach and Wilkins to put Alabama back on top 5-4.
The Tide worked itself into a jam in the bottom of the sixth inning when Ohio State loaded the bases with one out. Kristi DeVries hit a long fly ball down the left field line that Johnson hauled in and then threw home in time to get Amy Ellis who had tagged on the play.
Alabama added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Prejean led off with a single into centerfield and was sacrificed to second by Ramsey. Johnson then hit a line drive down the leftfield line scoring Prejean for a 6-4 Bama lead.
Erin Wright retired the final three Ohio State batters in order to end the game and pick up her third win of the season (3-1). Wright, who came on in relief of starter Jennifer Wright, went the final four innings shutting out the Buckeyes while striking out three batters.
Wilkins and Prejean paced the Tide offensively recording two hits, two RBI and a run each while Johnson went 2-3 with an RBI.
Alabama now drops to the consolation game of the tournament where they will play the loser of the Florida Atlantic-Ohio State game at 10:30 a.m. First pitch time is Eastern time and live stats can be followed on www.rolltide.com.
