Auburn Can't Complete Sweep, But Still Wins Series Over Alabama
Box Score l Audio
April 21, 2004
Holly Currie |
AUBURN - The 19th-ranked Auburn softball team dropped a 6-2 decision to No. 14 Alabama on Wednesday as the Tigers were unable to complete a three-game sweep of the Crimson Tide.
Auburn wraps up the series 34-12 overall and 15-9 in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers are in second place in the Western Division, a half game ahead of Alabama, which is 36-15 overall and 16-11 in the league.
The Crimson Tide took an early 5-0 lead with a pair of home runs off Tiger starter Kristen Keyes. Stephanie VanBrakle launched a three-run shot while Angela Johnson blasted a two-run homer. Both shots came with two outs.
Auburn chipped away at the lead with single runs in the first and third and had an opportunity to come closer in the third. Ashley Griffin appeared to beat out a swinging bunt at first, which would have scored Sara Dean and put runners on first and second with two outs. However, first-base umpire Phil Freels saw otherwise and called her out.
It was the second time in as many innings a controversial Freels call at first ended an inning for the Tigers.
In the fifth, Auburn threatened again as it put runners on the corners with two outs. However, Martha Phillips, who had two hits on the day and five in the series, struck out swinging after crushing two ball foul.
Meanwhile, Keyes had settled down to allow just one hit in innings two through five. However, after a leadoff walk in the sixth, she was pulled in favor of freshman Beth DiPietro. Keyes was charged with all six runs and took the loss to fall to 20-9. She only allowed five hits while striking out five and walking two.
DiPietro worked one inning and gave up one hit.
Auburn cut the lead to three on Holly Currie's solo bomb off VanBrakle to open the seventh. However, the Tigers would get no closer.
VanBrakle earned the save after working three innings and giving up a run on two hits. Jennifer Wright worked the first four innings and allowed a pair of runs on five hits while striking out three.
Auburn returns to action this weekend when it faces SEC West leader LSU, ranked sixth, in a doubleheader at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, La. Saturday doubleheader are slated for 2 p.m. before Sunday's finale at 1 p.m.