Tide Wins Second Straight on the Road at Birmingham-Southern
4/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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BIRMINGHAM, AL — After falling behind 1-0 early on, the 14th ranked Crimson Tide softball team (37-15) gathered itself in time to post a 9-2 victory over the Birmingham-Southern Panthers (20-31).
The Panthers took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, on a one-out base hit through left side by Nikki Rombough scoring Kerri Owens.
Alabama claimed the lead for good in the top of the third inning putting runners on second and third with one out, courtesy of back-to-back walks to Angela Johnson and Capper Reed and an Ashley Courtney sacrifice. After Michelle Menningmann fouled out to first base, Jackie Wilkins hit a slow dribbler on the infield that she beat out at first. Johnson scored and Reed came around to score in the ensuing confusion on the delayed call at first base and the Tide had a 2-1 lead. Jackie McClain then hit a bloop double scoring Wilkins from first and Alabama was on top 3-1.
Birmingham-Southern cut into the Tide lead in the bottom of the third on a Rombough single back up the middle, once again scoring Owens and cutting the Alabama lead to 3-2.
Bama then added six unanswered runs beginning with four runs in the top of the fifth inning, pushing its lead to 7-2. Reed led off and singled and took second on a slap single from Courtney. Leah White pinch hit for Menningman and sacrificed the runners to second and third. Wilkins then reached on her second infield single of the night, scoring Reed for a 4-2 game. McClain drew a walk loading the bases and was then pinch run for by Emily Currie. Dominique Accetturo reached on a fielder's choice scoring Courtney. VanBrakle then hit a two-out double into left centerfield scoring two more runs for the 7-2 lead.
The Crimson Tide made it a 9-2 game in the top of the sixth inning, loading the bases and then taking advantage of a Panther error. Wilkins hit a slow grounder to the shortstop who threw home to get Reed on a force out, but the throw skipped away from catcher Shannon Cantrell allowing Reed and Courtney to score for the seven-run Alabama lead.
VanBrakle (13-9) collected her 13th win of the season allowing two runs on six hits while striking out nine batters en route to the victory.
Wilkins paced the Alabama offense with a 2-4 night, driving in three runs while scoring a run as well. Courtney also finished with a multi-hit game, going 2-2 with two runs scored.
The Tide will close out the home portion of its schedule this weekend when the team hosts the 10th ranked Georgia Bulldogs in a three-game series to close out the SEC season.
