April 23, 2008

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Samford University softball team faced its highest ranked opponent in school history Wednesday and turned in a competitive outing versus the No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. In front of 2,089 fans at the UA Softball Complex, Alabama scored four late runs to take a 7-1 victory.

"I thought that a couple of our players were kind of nervous tonight and it showed in some situations," said Samford head coach Beanie Ketcham. "Despite that, I thought our pitchers made great pitches and we got some of the hits that we wanted. All in all, our defense just didn't make the plays out there when it counted."

With the loss, Samford (18-26) fell to 15-2 all-time against Alabama (46-3). Earlier this season, the teams squared off at Bulldog Field and the Crimson Tide held on for a 4-0 victory.

Alabama, the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, played a doubleheader Wednesday and picked up its 25th-and-26th-consecutive victories. Prior to its 7-1 win against Samford, the Crimson Tide disposed of Birmingham-Southern 9-1 in five innings.

The Bulldogs' Amanda Barrs (7-6) started in the circle and pitched the first three innings of the game. She limited Alabama to four earned runs and tallied a pair of strikeouts.

"Amanda is just such a great competitor," Ketcham said. "When she comes to play, she wants to be in the tight spots and she wants the ball. I think that if we would have made a couple of plays behind her then we might still be playing. You can't beat a team like Alabama if you give them extra outs and today we made a couple of key mistakes."

After Samford's Katie England blasted a deep home run to left center field in the top of the fourth inning, the Bulldogs trimmed the Crimson Tide's lead to 3-1.

England, a hometown product from Birmingham, went 1-for-3 in the game and her solo homer proved to be her seventh of the 2008 season. Samford's Kylie Harmon went 1-for-2 and played well defensively.

"Katie is such a good hitter and she's just getting better and better," said Ketcham. "We're really excited about her and the potential that she has for the future. Any time you can get a hit like that off a great pitcher like Kelsi Dunne then it really says something."

Dunne (19-3), Alabama's ace pitcher, picked up the win in the circle and earned her 13th complete game of the season. She tallied five strikeouts and allowed one earned run on two hits.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Alabama scored three runs to extend its lead to 6-1.

Charlotte Morgan led off the frame with a double to center field. Kellie Eubanks then came on to pinch run for Morgan and later scored on a wild pitch. Alabama's Whitney Larsen singled in the inning and then crossed the plate on a base hit from Ashley Holcombe.

The Crimson Tide rattled off four hits in the frame and its third run was scored by Holcombe as she crossed the plate following an infield single from Cat Dozier.

Alabama's offense was paced by Brittany Rogers and Jordan Praytor. Rogers, the Crimson Tide's leadoff hitter went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, while Praytor also turned in a 2-for-3 performance, but finished with an RBI and a run scored. In the game, Rogers set Alabama's single-season record in stolen bases with 51.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Alabama tacked on a run to take its decisive 7-1 lead.

Samford squared off against the Crimson Tide twice this season and only allowed 11 runs. Prior to Wednesday's game against the Bulldogs, Alabama had outscored its previous three opponents 38-1 in six contests.

"We did some good things in this game," Ketcham said. "Right now, we need to build on those things and try to correct some of our mistakes before we face Tennessee State. If we don't come out to play this weekend, then we'll need to seriously have a gut-check."

The Samford University softball team will next be in action Friday at 5 p.m., as the Bulldogs begin a key OVC series against the Tennessee State Tigers. The teams are scheduled to play a series-opening doubleheader Friday, followed by a single game Saturday at 1 p.m.

All three contests of the critical OVC series will be held at Tennessee State's Tiger Field (500).

Friday's doubleheader will be broadcast live by Samford play-by-play specialist Kevin Henslee on 91.1 FM. Fans can also listen to the action at www.samford.edu/groups/wvsu/sports.