Alabama Softball Splits Opening Doubleheader at Tennessee
3/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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KNOXVILLE, TN—The University of Alabama softball team split opening day action with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers (22-9, 2-3 SEC), taking the first game 9-1 in five innings and dropping the second game 2-1.
The 18th ranked Crimson Tide (19-10, 4-0) rediscovered its offense in Game 1 as every Bama player in the starting lineup got a hit with Jackie Wilkins leading the way going 2-3 with a double and a home run and two RBI.
Alabama struck for three runs in the top of the first inning highlighted by a two-run home run from Stephanie VanBrakle, her fourth of the season, which knocked Lady Vol freshman pitcher Christy Anch out of the game. Ashley Courtney led off with an infield single and took second on a groundout. Jackie McClain singled back up the middle scoring Courtney and came in to score on VanBrakle’s home run.
The Tide struck for two more runs in the top of the second inning piecing together three hits. Dominique Accetturo led off with a double and scored on a one-out single from Jennifer Reach for a 4-0 Alabama lead. Jackie Wilkins then doubled to left-centerfield scoring Reach from first for a 5-0 Alabama lead. The run scored for Reach was the 100th of her career.
The Lady Vols got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when Stacey Jennings hit her ninth home run of the season, a solo shot that hit off the highway facing just beyond the left field fence cutting the Bama lead to 5-1.
The Crimson Tide kept the offensive pressure applied in the top of the third inning. Lacy Prejean reached on a one-out bloop single to left and went to third on a single from Staci Ramsey. Accetturo followed with her second straight hit scoring Prejean. Angela Johnson, who celebrated her birthday on Friday, doubled scoring Ramsey and Reach hit a long fly ball to centerfield that was deep enough to score Accetturo from third pushing Bama’s lead to 8-1.
Wilkins continued her hot hitting in the top of the fourth inning when she hit her second home run of the season, a solo shot to left field extending the lead to 9-1.
VanBrakle (5-3) recorded her third win in SEC play while throwing her third complete game of the season, allowing one run on three hits and striking out eight batters including the final six UT batters of the game.
Prejean got the Tide going in Game 2 taking a 3-2 pitch and driving her fourth home run of the season, tying a career high, over the left field fence putting Alabama up 1-0.
Tennessee got the run back in the bottom of the second inning when Katherine Card hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Mandie Fishback to tie the score at 1-1.
The Lady Vols threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning with Fishback leading off with a double, however on an 0-2 pitchout, Prejean caught Fishback leading too far off the bag and promptly picked her off. Sarah Fekete followed with a slap single but Kristi Durant hit a sharp grounder to Reach at shortstop who stepped on second and threw on to first for the inning-ending double play.
Tennessee claimed its first lead of the day in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jennings hit a long fly ball to left field that was caught by a diving Angela Johnson, but Lauren Mattox scored for the 2-1 UT lead.
Alabama loaded the bases in top of the seventh inning after an Accetturo single and a Johnson bunt single. Reach then laid down her 52nd career sacrifice bunt which broke the all-time SEC record advancing the runners to second and third with one out. Courtney popped out to second, followed by a Wilkins hit-by-pitch to load the bases, but McClain was unable to plate any runners fouling to left field ending the game.
Erin Wright (10-4) took the loss for the Tide going five innings allowing two runs on 11 hits while striking out four batters.
The Tide and the Lady Vols will get together for the rubber game on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
