Tide Fans Send Softball Team Off in Style
5/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Judging by the parking lot and the noise coming from the UA Softball Complex, passersby might have thought a game was going on, but it was merely the final home practice for the Crimson Tide softball team on its home field before heading off to Oklahoma City and the Women’s College World Series.
A crowd of approximately 300 fans gathered at the complex to watch the Tide go through various drills and batting practice. Children were invited down to the field to go through warm-ups with the team and various prizes were handed out during the hour and a half session. One lucky fan won an opportunity to take some batting practice swings off head coach Patrick Murphy.
The batting practice ended with former California All-America first baseman and national champion and current Alabama law student Veronica Nelson taking a few cuts before ending the night with a home run to left center field.
“This was just unbelievable,” said Murphy. “I was expecting maybe 10 or 12 fans to show up, but this was a night I’ll never forget.”
The Crimson Tide will close out first day action at the 2005 Women’s College World Series on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. when the team takes on the fifth ranked Texas Longhorns. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
PHOTO GALLERY
(Photo by Jeff Hanson)
