Alabama
Iowa
Lunceford Provides Heroics Again
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 26, 2010
COLUMBUS, Ga. - Alabama sophomore Jazlyn Lunceford came through again for the Crimson Tide, this time hitting a seventh inning solo shot to hand Alabama a 5-4 victory over Iowa Friday afternoon at the Leadoff Classic. With the win the Tide has now won nine straight and improve to 10-2 on the season.
After a mishap on the base paths by Alabama in the top of the seventh, Lunceford came through. The sophomore belted a solo home run with a full count and two outs to once again lead Alabama in dramatic fashion.
Iowa rallied for three runs in the sixth to tie the score at four. The Hawkeyes came all the way back when Katie Keim drilled a double to left-centerfield to score Katie Brown.
Alabama did most of its damage in the fourth and fifth innings when it plated two runs in each frame. In the fourth, freshman Kayla Braud smacked a double to centerfield that scored Jennifer Fenton and pinch-runner Jessica Smith.
In the fifth, after freshman Courtney Conley was able to score on an Iowa error, sophomore Olivia Gibson ripped a double to right-center that plated Lunceford from third.
Iowa scored its first run of the game on a solo home run by Brown. The Hawkeyes tallied eight hits and committed four errors while the Crimson Tide banged out six hits.
Braud paced the Tide at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort, driving in two runs. Lunceford scored two runs and had a RBI.
On the heels of her 17-strikeout performance, junior Kelsi Dunne struck out 13 and went the distance to improve to 5-2 on the season.
Alabama will return to action at the Leadoff Classic when it plays two more games on Saturday. The Tide will face off against the Michigan Wolverines and the Nebraska Huskers.
