Tide Softball Splits Doubleheader with No. 19 Auburn
4/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
AUBURN, AL??It was a tale of two games for the fourth ranked Alabama softball team (41-8, 19-4 SEC) as they split a doubleheader with the 19th ranked Auburn Tigers (32-14, 13-10) claiming the first game 9-1 in five innings while dropping the nightcap 4-2.
The Tide had no problems connecting on Auburn pitching in Game 1 banging out nine runs on 10 hits, however in Game 2, Bama was unable to come up with the clutch hit as they stranded 11 runners, while managing only six hits.
Alabama wasted no time jumping on top of the Tigers, claiming a 2-0 lead in the first inning courtesy of a two-run opposite field home run to right off the bat of Staci Ramsey. Brittany Rogers led off the game with an infield single and stole second. Following a Jordan Praytor strikeout, Ramsey launched her 28th career home run for the 2-0 lead.
Alabama added three runs in the top of the fourth taking advantage of a couple Auburn mistakes. Mandy Burford got the Tide rolling with a one-out single. Brittany Rogers then laid down a sacrifice to third but Auburn third baseman Kristina McCain threw the ball wildly allowing Burford to come all the way around to score and advancing Rogers to third. Jordan Praytor then extended her hitting streak to 23 games with a double to left field scoring Rogers for a 4-0 Tide lead. Staci Ramsey then hit a hard grounder that was fielded by first baseman Starr Dorsey advancing Praytor to third but Praytor then advanced home when nobody was covering extending the Alabama lead to 5-0.
The Tide tacked on four more runs in the fifth inning on three hits while taking advantage of another Auburn error stretching its lead to 9-0.
VanBrakle (23-4) collected the win, allowing one run on four hits while striking out four batters and issuing four walks in four innings of work.
Auburn struck first in the night cap, plating two runs in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run single off the bat of McCain giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
The Crimson Tide answered in the top of the third inning cutting the Auburn lead in half. Rogers led off the inning with a single and took second on a ground out by Praytor. Ramsey doubled down the left field line scoring Rogers from second cutting the Tiger lead in half at 2-1.
Auburn pushed its lead back to two in the bottom of the third taking advantage of two Chrissy Owens wild pitches and scoring on a bunt single off the bat of Myesha Finney making it a 3-1 game.
Control problems plagued the Tide pitching staff again in the bottom of the fourth as the Tigers plated another run taking advantage of a walk and another wild pitch pushing Auburn's lead to 4-1.
Alabama cut the lead in half in the top of the fifth courtesy of a Praytor solo home run to right field. Praytor's home run also extended her hitting streak to 24 games, tying her for the fourth longest streak in SEC history. The Tide had an opportunity to do further damage following Praytor's home run as they loaded the bases with just one out but Kelley Montalvo struck out followed by a Dominique Accetturo ground out ending the Bama rally.
Chrissy Owens (15-4) took the loss allowing four runs on nine hits though 3.1 innings of work.
The two teams will get together for the rubber match on Wednesday for a 4:00 p.m. single game. 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.
GAME NOTES
Gm. 1
--The two teams stranded 10 runners combined through the first two innings. Auburn left the bases loaded in the bottom of the first and second innings while sandwiched in between those two was Alabama leaving the bases loaded in the top of the second inning.
--Jordan Praytor extended her hitting streak to 23 games.
--Stephanie VanBrakle collected her 139th career walk moving her into a tie with Jackie McClain for second on Alabama's all-time walk list.
--Blair Potter made her sixth appearance in SEC play this season.
--The last time a team won by way of the run-rule was an 8-0, five-inning Alabama victory on April 18, 2001 in Tuscaloosa.
Gm. 2
--Brittany Rogers stole her 25th base of the season, tying her for fourth with Ashley Courtney (2004) for most stolen bases in a season.
--Dominique Accetturo moved to a tie for sixth on Alabama's all-time walks list with her 86th.
--Jordan Praytor's home run in the fifth inning pushed her hitting streak to 24 games, tying her for the fourth longest streak in SEC history with Ashley Moore (AU, 2001) and Kellie Wilkerson (MSU, 1999).
