April 3, 2010
Auburn, Ala. - Eighth-ranked Alabama completed a three-game sweep of Auburn softball with a 9-1 win in game one of a doubleheader and an 10-2 win in game two Saturday afternoon at Jane B. Moore Field.
Auburn dropped to 20-15 overall and 5-9 in Southeastern Conference play. Alabama improved to 27-9 overall and a10-4 in the SEC. Auburn returns to action April 7 with a 6 p.m. CT home game against Samford.
In game two, Jenee Loree (2-3) started and took the loss, allowing five runs, all earned, on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Loree went 2.2 innings in the start. Anna Thompson allowed three runs, all earned, on three hits with five walks in 3.0 innings of relief work. Thompson recorded six strikeouts, including the 1,000th of her career to become just the eighth pitcher in SEC history to hit that milestone. Holly Ragsdale tossed the final 1.1 innings, allowing two runs, both earned, on two hits with no walks and one strikeout.
Kelsi Dunne (14-4) earned the win after going the first 5.0 innings and allowing one run, earned, on two hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
Kyndall White put the Tigers on top in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff home run to straight-away center field. It was White's fourth home run of the season, 12th of her career and second of the day. It came on the first pitch of the inning and gave Auburn a 1-0 lead.
The lead didn't last long as Alabama tied the game in the top of the second inning. Whitney Larsen drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a pair of infield ground outs. Olivia Gibson then delivered a single to right to score Larsen and tie the game 1-1.
Jazlyn Lunceford gave Alabama the lead with a two-out double down the left field line in the top of third inning. Kayla Braud (single) and Charlotte Morgan (walk) each scored on the play to give the Tide a 3-1 lead. Courtney Conley followed with a two-run home run to right to give Alabama a 5-1 lead.
Thompson issued a bases loaded walk to give Alabama a run in the top of the fifth inning. Alabama took advantage of a hit batter (Lunceford), single (Conley) and walks to Gibson and Jennifer Fenton to force in a run and take a 6-1 lead.
Alabama made it a 7-1 game in the sixth inning when Larsen drove in pinch-runner Lisa Elizondo with a ground out to short. Elizondo ran for Cassie Reilly-Boccia who drew a leadoff walk. Conley followed with an RBI single to left that scored pinch-runner Cat Dozier who ran for Charlotte Morgan to give the Tide an 8-1 lead. Thompson was then lifted for Ragsdale who entered with two outs and a runner at first. Ragsdale allowed one infield hit before ending the Alabama rally.
Morgan gave Alabama a 10-1 edge with a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning.
Auburn took advantage of an Alabama error to plate a run in the bottom of the seventh. With Krista Clyde (walk) at second and White (single) at first, Caitlin Stangl put down a bunt single. The throw to first was wild after Stangl reached and Clyde scored for the final 10-2 margin.
In game one, Alabama took advantage of three Auburn errors to score four unearned runs and take a 9-1 victory.
Anna Thompson (11-6) started and went just 3.2 innings in taking the loss for Auburn. Thompson allowed six runs, three earned, on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Charlotte Morgan (3-2) started and earned the win, going 5.0 innings. Morgan allowed one run, earned, on four hits with one strikeout and no walks.
Alabama jumped on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of an Auburn error with two outs. With Kayla Braud (HBP) and Whitney Larsen (HBP) aboard, Jazlyn Lunceford hit a fly ball to center that Caitlin Stangl missed and allowed to hit the ground. Both runners scored to give Alabama a 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, Alabama loaded the bases via a single, walk and fielder's choice that did not produce an out. Lunceford lofted a sacrifice fly to left that scored pinch-runner Keima Davis who ran for Cassie Reilly-Boccia (single) to give the Tide a 3-0 lead.
A three-run home run off the bat of Reilly-Boccia in the top of the fourth inning gave Alabama a 6-0 lead. Reilly-Boccia took a 3-2 pitch from Thompson well over the wall in right with Jennifer Fenton (error) and Braud (single) aboard to push the lead to six runs. It was Reilly-Boccia's seventh home run of the season.
The Tigers broke the shutout bid in the fourth inning when Kyndall White cranked a one-out, solo home run to right-center to make it a 6-1 game. It was White's third home run of the season and 11th of her career.
Alabama bumped the lead back to six with a solo home run off the bat of Courtney Conley in the fifth inning. It was Conley's fourth home run of the season and made it a 7-1 game.
Morgan gave Alabama an 8-1 lead with on a one-out RBI double in the top of the sixth inning. Morgan's double hit off the top of the wall in right-center and plated Braud (walk) to give the Tide a seven run cushion.
Alabama tacked on a run in the seventh when Lauren Guzman let a ground ball get by her at short, letting Alex Blewitt score from second with two outs. It was Auburn's third error of the game and gave Alabama the final 9-1 margin of victory.