Softball Continues Road Swing with Three Games at Kentucky
3/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 20, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama will dive back into SEC play and continue its road trip with a three-game set against Kentucky. The Tide will open its stay in Lexington on Friday, March 21 with a night game, beginning at 6 p.m. UA will then close the series on Saturday, March 22 with a 1 p.m. doubleheader. All times are Eastern and will be played at the UK Softball Complex.
Kentucky (13-10, 1-2), has won 11 of their last 14 games and will next be in action when they host their first Southeastern Conference action of the season. The Wildcats are coming off a 1-2 weekend against SEC foe Tennessee. UK won the first game of the series in Knoxville 2-0 behind the two-run walk-off home run by Molly Johnson. Amber Matousek went the distance for UK, tossing eight innings and allowing four hits and walking six. In the final two contests the Wildcats fell 2-0, 5-1.
Overall the Wildcats bat .292 and sport a 2.85 ERA. Individually UK is led at the plate by Johnson and Natalie Smith. Johnson leads the team with a .443 batting average, three home runs, 18 RBI and eight stolen bases. Smith follows with a .382 average, one home run and 10 RBI. In the circle, Jennifer Young has a 3-2 record and 2.16 ERA while Matousek is 7-6 with a 2.73 ERA.
Alabama has dominated the all-time series with Kentucky winning 28 of the 29 meetings. The Tide has won the last 10 contests and also took the first 18 games from 1997-2004. Alabama has scored 10 or more runs nine times against the Wildcats and won by the eight-run rule seven times. The Tide has scored 102 runs in the 12 games over the last four years. Alabama swept the three-game set last year by the scores of 12-3, 6-0 and 8-0.
Alabama handed Kentucky three-straight losses in SEC action in Tuscaloosa last season. UA opened the series with a doubleheader sweep by the scores of 12-3 and 6-0. In the Sunday finale, Blair Potter tossed the 12th no-hitter in UA franchise history in an 8-0 win. Potter fanned 10 and did not issue a walk to hand UA its 50th victory on the season. The Tide blasted five home runs and out-scored the Wildcats 26-3 in the three games. Dani Woods batted .800 (4-for-5) in the series with a home run and four RBI. Jordan Praytor blasted two home runs, had a team-high six RBI and added a .571 batting average. Brittany Rogers batted .500 (5-for-10) and added a team-high 10 runs and five stolen bases. Potter earned two wins and did not allow a run while striking out 20 in 12 innings pitched.
Alabama started its spring break with two games on the schedule at the Chattanooga Showdown. Inclement weather caused the cancellation of both games. The Tide was slated to face Kent State and host UT-Chattanooga.
The No. 2-ranked University of Alabama softball team swept three games from No. 15 Mississippi State in Starkville. The Tide won game one 2-0 behind the arm of freshman Kelsi Dunne and then earned a 4-2 win in the late game of the doubleheader. Senior Chrissy Owens pitched the Tide to a 3-0 in the Sunday contest. Brittany Rogers led Alabama at the plate with a .500 (5-for-10) batting average and three stolen bases. Kellie Eubanks batted .429 in the series while Kelley Montalvo added a .364 batting clip. Dunne and Owens each recorded complete game shutouts.
The University of Alabama softball team remains in the top three of both national softball polls after the Crimson Tide swept No. 15 Mississippi State and split a doubleheader against no. 4 Florida last week. Alabama maintained its rankings from last week in both polls. The Crimson Tide (24-3 overall, 6-2 in the SEC) is ranked No. 2 in the USA Today/NFCA top 25 poll and remains ranked third in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Both rankings were released Tuesday morning.
Kelsi Dunne and Chrissy Owens have been shutting down opponents this season. In her last three SEC starts, Dunne has held opponents scoreless. That streak includes wins over No. 3 Tennessee. No. 4 Florida and No. 15 Mississippi State. Owens threw a gem in the series finale against No. 15 Mississippi State to claim her 22nd career shutout, which ranks third all-time at UA. The duo have combined for eight shutouts this season.
The University of Alabama has played solid softball thus far and it has shown in the SEC team statistics. The Tide pace the league in eight offensive categories, including; average (.339), slugging percentage (.533), on-base-percentage (.456), runs (189), stolen bases (76) and RBI (167).
Alabama will return home to host instate rival UAB in a mid-week contest. The Tide will host the Blazers on Wednesday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. UA defeated UAB in a previous meeting this season in Birmingham by the score of 10-1. Alabama will then remain at home to host Ole Miss in a three-game SEC series. The first game is scheduled for Saturday, March 29 at 1 p.m. at the UA Softball Complex.
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