Tide Softball Travels to Birmingham-Southern
4/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The third-ranked Crimson Tide softball team (38-6) hits the road Wednesday as the team heads up I-20/59 to take on the Birmingham-Southern Panthers (24-13).
The two teams meet for the second time this season as Alabama won the first game in Tuscaloosa 14-6 in five-innings pushing its record to 5-0 in the series. It was a wild affair as Bama scored three in the first and then with a 4-1 lead going into the third, gave up five runs to trail 6-4. Alabama responded with four runs in the fourth followed by six in the fifth for the final 14-6, run-rule victory.
The Crimson Tide is averaging 9.00 runs a game against the Panthers. Bama has outscored BSC 45-12 in their five meetings. The most the Crimson Tide scored was 14 runs in their earlier meeting this season. It was also the first run-rule victory in series history.
Alabama comes into the game led offensively by sophomore Jordan Praytor who is hitting at a .433 clip and is currently in the midst of a 19-game hitting streak. Sophomore Dani Woods provides the power in the Tide lineup with a team high seven home runs and 36 RBI which is tied for tops on the team with senior Staci Ramsey.
The Alabama staff is led by the two-headed monster of Stephanie VanBrakle and Chrissy Owens. VanBrakle leads the staff with a 21-4 record and 251 strikeouts in 153.0 innings while Owens has a staff best 0.48 ERA.
The two teams will play a single game with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Fans can follow all the action on www.rolltide.com where live stats and audio will be available. In the Tuscaloosa area, fans can tune into WVUA 90.7 FM where Nic Hoch will call all the balls and strikes.
