Softball One-Hits Birmingham-Southern in 7-0 Win
4/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
 |
|
BIRMINGHAM, AL — After a nine-day hiatus, it took a couple of innings for the offense to return to the eighth-ranked Crimson Tide as Alabama cruised to a 7-0 victory over the Birmingham-Southern Panthers (21-27).
Bama (49-9) struck for a run in the third, and three runs each in the fourth and fifth innings while the Tide's pitching staff held the Panthers to only one hit.
Bama seized a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning thanks to a run-scoring single by Jordan Praytor (FR, Vancouver, Wash.) to left field. Capper Reed (SR, Guntersville, Ala.) led off the inning with a single to right but was forced at second on a sacrifice attempt by Leah White (SR, Grayson, Ga.). Jackie Wilkins (SR, Miami, Fla.) followed with her second single of the game advancing White to second. Praytor then laced a single into left scoring White from second base.
Alabama added to its lead in the fourth beginning with three consecutive singles. Stephanie VanBrakle (JR, Chambersburg, Pa.) led off with a single and was pinch run for by Deasy Phillips (SR, Katy, Texas). Staci Ramsey (JR, Houston, Texas) singled advancing Phillips to second and was pinch run for by Katie Johnson (FR, New Braunfels, Texas). Dominique Accetturo (JR, Pembroke Pines, Fla.) singled back up the middle scoring Phillips. Following a Dani Woods (FR, Cockeysville, Md.) sacrifice, Capper Reed (SR, Guntersville, Ala.) singled scoring Johnson and Accetturo spotting the Tide a 4-0 lead.
Bama kept the pressure applied in the fifth inning adding three more runs with the big play coming on a throwing error by Panther second baseman Kerri Owens allowing two runs to score extending the Alabama lead to 7-0.
VanBrakle started the game and threw three perfect innings, striking out six of the nine batters she faced. Jennifer Wright (SR, Brentwood, Tenn.) came on in relief and allowed only one hit in two innings while striking out four batters. Chrissy Owens (FR, Miami, Fla.) threw the final two innings in relief and collected the win, pushing her record to 9-2.
Wilkins, Praytor, Ramsey and Reed paced the Tide offense collecting two hits each while Reed and Accetturo drove in two runs a piece.
The Crimson Tide will jump back into conference action this weekend when the team travels to Athens, Georgia to take on SEC East leader Georgia to potentially decide the SEC Champion.
