March 2, 2004

Box Score

Tuscaloosa, Ala. - The Samford softball team dropped a mid-week game, 9-0 in six innings, to the ninth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on Tuesday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

With the loss, Samford falls to 4-12 for the season. Alabama improves to 16-3.

The Bulldogs will return to action Friday at the Magic City Classic tournament. This year's tournament is hosted by Alabama-Birmingham and includes Birmingham Southern.

The Crimson Tide pulled ahead of the Bulldogs in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Michelle Menningmann singled to right field to send Staci Ramsey home from second base. Alabama added a second run in the third when Ashley Courtney made it home on a passed ball by catcher Kayla Watkins.

In the fourth, Jackie Williams hit a one-out triple to send pinch runner Deasy Phillips home and scored on a single by Courtney. Courtney later scored on a wild pitch by Susanna Meyer to put the Tide up 5-0.

Samford had runners on base with one out in both the first and second innings. Senior second baseman Erin Landsburg singled to left field in the first inning, and junior centerfielder Trisha Holman reached first on an error by Tide shortstop Dominique Accetturo.

Alabama added four runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the game. The Bulldogs had the Tide stopped at seven runs, but with two outs shortstop Liz Pearse dropped a high pop up and allowed two runs to score and the game to end.

Sophomore Emilee Lewis got the start in the circle for Samford. She pitched two and two-third innings and allowed two hits and two runs - one of which was earned - and walked two. She was taken out of the game prematurely when All-American Jackie McClain hit a hard grounder straight back at her and shook her up. Lewis did throw McClain out at first, however. Freshman Susanna Meyer replaced her in the third inning. She went two and one-third innings before Lewis re-entered in the sixth to finish the game. Meyer allowed five hits and six runs - five of which were earned -- walked four and struck out three. Lewis walked two batters and allowed one run in the sixth.

Stephanie VanBrakle pitched seven innings for Alabama, improving her record to 5-2 with the win. She allowed one hit and struck out 11. She retired 14 straight Bulldogs to end the game.

Landsburg had the only hit for the Bulldogs.