Alabama Softball Advances to Fifth Consecutive Bama Bash! Championship
2/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Game 5 Box Score
Game 6 Box Score
Game 7 Box Score
Game 8 Box Score
TUSCALOOSA, AL -- The 12th ranked Alabama softball team (4-0) won two straight games against the Georgia Southern Eagles by scores of 8-4 and 6-0 to advance to its fifth straight Bama Bash! championship game.
Alabama left nothing to chance in tournament play as the Tide jumped on top in the second inning then rode the right arm of junior pitcher Stephanie VanBrakle. VanBrakle (2-0) threw her second one-hitter of the tournament, striking out 12 batters in the process for the win.
With the Crimson Tide leading 2-0, sophomore Mandy Burford blew the game open in the top of the sixth inning delivering a three-run double pushing Alabama's lead to 5-0.
"The biggest key in the second game for Stephanie (VanBrakle) was no walks, she didn't give up any freebies," said Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy. "I was really pleased with the play of the underclassmen all day as all three sophomores and the three freshmen that hit contributed offensively."
Murphy and the Tide will be going for a little piece of history on Sunday as he attempts to get his 300th career win at Alabama.
In the first game, the final game of pool play, Bama overcame three errors and a Georgia Southern comeback attempt in the sixth inning for the win. Kellie Deska and Staci Ramsey led the Alabama attack pounding out two hits each. Deska finished the game 2-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored. Ashley Courtney and Dani Woods each drove in two runs to help pace the Alabama offense.
Leading 7-0 in the top of the sixth the Alabama defense wavered somewhat committing two errors that allowed three unearned runs, but senior pitcher Jennifer Wright was able to stop the bleeding to pick up the victory in her first outing of the season.
The Crimson Tide has now won 23 of its last 24 Bama Bash! games.
Alabama will play the UAB Blazers for the Bama Bash! championship with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Evansville and Georgia Southern will play the consolation game scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
Alabama will also celebrate Deasy Phillips day on Sunday, honoring the senior from Katy, Texas prior to the start of the Alabama-UAB game.
UAB 2-Evansville 1 (Pool Play)
Despite recording only one hit, the UAB Blazers took advantage of three Purple Aces miscues to record a 2-1 victory and earn the No. 2 seed in tournament play.
Sara Christophel recorded UAB's lone hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Christophel couldn't have picked a more perfect time as her two-out single scored Leigh Walker for the go-ahead and game-winning run.
UAB 7 -Evansville 6 (8 innings) (Tournament Play)
After spotting the Purple Aces a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, UAB scored six runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-2 lead but was unable to hold off a torrid Evansville rally that tied the game at 6-6.
UAB was able to pick up the win in extra innings when Leigh Walker doubled to right field scoring Andrea Pierson for the final 7-6 score.
Holly Krzan provided the offensive spark for the Blazers going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
