Softball Takes Two from Mississippi State

Saturday, May 8

Starkville, Miss.

3:00 p.m

Alabama

Mississippi State

Courtney Conley drove in five runs and hit a home run Saturday.

Softball Takes Two from Mississippi State

5/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball

May 8, 2010

Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Courtney Conley and Jazlyn Lunceford combined to drive in 10 runs as Alabama swept a Southeastern Conference doubleheader over Mississippi State Saturday afternoon at the MSU Softball Field. The Tide earned a 10-1 win in game one and then sealed the series win with an 8-2 victory in the nightcap. With the win Alabama has now won 20 in a row and are in line to earn the SEC title with a victory tomorrow. After the day the Tide improves to 44-9 overall and 22-4 in SEC play and secured another SEC Western Division title.

"The first inning of the first game really set the tone," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "It was a great start and we were able to build on that throughout the day. We have one more game to go and just need to keep it going."

Game 1
Alabama opened with four runs in the first inning and never looked back as it ran past Mississippi State 10-1 in the series opener Saturday. Freshman Kayla Braud tallied three hits and scored three runs while Jazlyn Lunceford drove in three and collected two hits. Kelsi Dunne struck out 11 and allowed just four hits to improve to 23-4 on the season.

In the first Braud started the scoring by coming around on a throwing error by Chelsea Bramlett on a Whitney Larsen steal attempt. Larsen then scored on an illegal pitch by Misty Flesher. Lunceford got her day going with a single deep in the infield at second to plate Amanda Locke. The Tide capped off its scoring in the inning when Courtney Conley ripped a double left to score Lunceford.

The Tide added another in the second when Cassie Reilly-Boccia singled through the right side to plate Braud from second to extend the Alabama lead to 5-0.

After MSU got a run in the third UA added a run in the fifth and four more in the sixth to put the game away.

Lunceford recorded another RBI, this time the easy way as she drew a bases loaded walk to plate pinch-runner Lisa Elizondo. In the sixth Larsen singled through the left side to bring home Braud and then Locke took a bases loaded walk to bring home Reilly-Boccia. Lunceford singled home Charlotte Morgan and then pinch-hitter Alex Blewitt hit a sac-fly to left to score Larsen.

Dunne went the distance, allowing one unearned run and walking two to improve to 23-4 on the season. She has now earned the win in 10 straight starts.

Game 2
Kayla Braud collected two more hits and Courtney Conley drove in four to lead Alabama to an 8-2 victory in the backend of the doubleheader Saturday. Charlotte Morgan struck out three and allowed one earned run to improve to 7-2 on the season.

Lunceford continued to provide the punch in game two as she opened the contest with a two-run single to centerfield that plated Whitney Larsen.

Mississippi State answered in the second but Alabama then came back with three more to take a 5-1 lead. Morgan helped herself out in the circle by smacking a double to right-center that scored Braud. Conley then ripped a two-run single through the left side to score Morgan and Amanda Locke.

The Bulldogs scored another in the bottom half but the Tide added a run in the fourth and capped off its day with another in the seventh to earn the win.

Cassie Reilly-Boccia lined a double down the right field line to score Braud all the way from first to give Alabama a 7-2 lead after four.

Conley then got some help on a leadoff home run in the sixth. She hit a deep shot that got caught in the wind and was moving towards the foul pole in right and Brittany Bell tried to make a jumping grab but it caromed off her glove and over the fence for the round-tripper.

Next Up
Alabama will now look to earn its second SEC title in program history. If the Tide wins tomorrow it will secure the championship. First pitch tomorrow is at 1:00 p.m. at the MSU Softball Field.