SEC Tournament Game 8 Recap: LSU 2, Alabama 1
5/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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TUSCALOOSA, ALA - In a game that came down to the last pitch of the seventh inning, No. 2 ranked LSU hung on to beat No. 13 Alabama 2-1 here at Southeastern Conference Softball Championships held at the Alabama Softball Complex this week.
LSU used a two-run third inning to pull ahead of the Crimson Tide and that was it for scoring by either team. The Tide left seven runners on base, including two in the final inning. LSU is now 48-9 while Alabama is 42-17. Schmidt earned the win, going to 30-5 on the season while Jennifer Wright fell to 13-2.
"What a great softball atmosphere," LSU head coach Yvette Girouard said. "This was a regional type atmosphere. It is very hard to beat a great team four times in one year and we may have to beat them five times before it's all over. The SEC is phenomenal. The league just keeps getting better and better. It is great preparation for regionals. It can't help but prepare us for next weekend."
Six teams remain in the tourney with South Carolina and Florida both bowing out today. LSU and Georgia remain undefeated for the tourney. Action resumes 11 a.m. Saturday with No. 2 seeded Tennessee facing Alabama.
2004 Southeastern Conference Championship Schedule
Saturday, May 15
11:00 am G9 #2 Tennessee vs. #5 Alabama
1:30 pm G10 #4 Auburn vs. #7 Mississippi State
5:00 pm G11 #3 Georgia vs. Winner Game 9
7:30 pm G12 #1 LSU vs. Winner Game 10
Game Notes
LSU
--Takes a 5-4 advantage over Alabama in all-time SEC Tournament meetings
--LSU won their sixth straight game versus Alabama in Tuscaloosa
--Kristen Schmidt's 30th win of the season, makes her the fourth pitcher in SEC history with two 30-win seasons.
Alabama
--Jennifer Wright suffered both losses on the season to LSU.
--The crowd of 1,116 was the fifth largest crowd in UA Softball Complex history.
--Alabama is now 3-5 in second games in the SEC Tournament.
--The nine SEC Tournament match-ups between the Tide and the Tigers is the most match-ups between any two schools in conference tournament history.
LSU QUOTES:
LSU Head Coach Yvette Girouard
"What a great softball atmosphere. This was a regional type atmosphere. It was just a great atmosphere for softball. It is very hard to beat a great team four times in one year and we may have to beat them five times before it's all over."
"I think we did (have a target on our back). We don't talk about having a target on our back. We talk about playing pitch by pitch, having fun and executing."
"The SEC is phenomenal. The league just keeps getting better and better. It is great preparation for regionals. It can't help but prepare us for next weekend."
LSU Pitcher Kristin Schmidt
"Every time we play Alabama it's an emotional game and an emotional series. You just try to take advantage of the big plays."
LSU Catcher Leigh Ann Danos
"I think the (atmosphere) was awesome. It is so much more fun to play when you have a great crowd."
ALABAMA QUOTES:
Alabama Head Coach Patrick Murphy:
"I thought this was a great division one softball atmosphere. I am really pleased with all of the fans who came out, especially after the long night last night."
"Both pitchers (Jennifer Wright, Stephanie VanBrakle) threw well enough to win the game, but we just didn't get enough runs."
Alabama Pitcher Jennifer Wright
"It was a great game and the atmosphere tonight was fantastic. It was great to have that many fans behind you. We just came up a little short tonight."
