April 25, 2009
Tuscaloosa, Ala. - Lauren Parker's two-out, two-run home run in the eighth inning gave No. 6 Alabama a 4-2 win over Auburn in game two and a double-header sweep on the day in softball action.
Auburn dropped to 28-23 overall and 8-16 in the Southeastern Conference. Alabama improved to 42-8 overall and 18-6 in the SEC.
Kelsi Dunne earned the win in relief of game two to improve to 22-2 on the season. Dunne threw 1.0 inning and allowed one run, unearned, on three hits. Charlotte Morgan started and went 7.0 innings. Morgan allowed one run, earned, on five hits.
Anna Thompson took the loss to fall to 13-13. Thompson threw 7.2 innings, allowing four run, one earned, on four hits with 10 walks and two strikeouts.
"I'm very proud of the way Anna threw today," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "She battled all day. Alabama was able to get the big hit in the eighth after we did a nice job of taking the lead. We've got to come back ready to play tomorrow."
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, Lindsey Harrelson reached on a bunt single and then stole second to move into scoring position. Myesha Finney laced a single into right field to bring Harrelson home and give Auburn the early lead.
Alabama tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brittany Rogers reached on a one-out single and moved to second when Lauren Parker was hit by a pitch. The runners advanced to third and second, respectively, on Kelley Montalvo's foul out to left field. Charlotte Morgan was then intentionally walked to load the bases.
On a 3-1 count, Cassie Reilly-Boccia drew a walk to force Rogers home and tie the game at 1-1.
The Tigers rallied in the top of the eighth inning. Cassie Trosclair reached on an error to open the inning and moved to second on Harrelson's bunt single. Trosclair was then picked off second on a throw by the catcher for the second out of the inning.
Tatiana Fernandez singled to move Harrelson to second and Finney brought her home with a single to left to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, Ashley Holcombe opened the frame with a single up the middle and was lifted for pinch-runner Jazlyn Lunceford. A sac bunt by Kellie Eubanks moved Lunceford to second with one out. Whitney Larsen then hit a ground ball to that was misplayed by Lauren Guzman at short, allowing her to reach and Lunceford to move to third. After Larsen stole second, Rogers plated Lunceford with a ground out to short that tied the game at 2-2. Lauren Parker then ended the game with a two-out home run to right.
In game one, Kelsi Dunne tossed a two-hit shutout as No. 6 Alabama defeated the Tigers 8-0 in six innings. Dunne struck out 11 and did not issue a walk in moving to 21-2 on the season.
Jenee Loree took the loss to move to 12-8 on the season. Loree allowed four runs, all earned, on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work. Holly Ragsdale threw the final 2.0 innings for Auburn, allowing four runs, all earned, on four hits with two walks and one strikeout.
Kellie Eubanks gave Alabama a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning. It was Eubanks' second home run of the season and came with one out in the inning.
Alabama extended its lead in the fourth inning. With one out, Kelley Montalvo was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a single by Charlotte Morgan. After Amanda Locke struck out looking, Cassie Reilly-Boccia singled to left to score Montalvo and give the Tide a 2-0 edge. Ashley Holcombe followed with a single to left on a 1-2 pitch to score both Morgan and Reilly-Boccia to give Alabama a 4-0 lead.
The lead jumped to 6-0 for Alabama in the bottom of the sixth inning when Locke hit a two-run home run off the scoreboard netting in left-center. It was Locke's eighth home run of the season and came with Morgan aboard, who doubled to open the frame. Two outs later, the Tide ended the game on the mercy rule on Whitney Larsen's two-run home run to left. It came with Eubanks aboard, who drew a walk, and made it 8-0.