Lady Tide Eliminated 5-3 Last Night
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama-LSU contest didn't start right at all. Well, at least it didn't start on time. The elimination game that was to begin at 8:30 PM CDT didn't get underway until 10:42 PM. A very long day for the Lady Tide. And in the end, it was the end of the championship chase for the Tide.
The hopes for another NCAA National Softball Championship died late last night for Bama, 5-3, in a double-elimination loss to the LSU Tigers at ASA Hall Of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The actual game, though, looked very hopeful for the first half of the first inning. Things got started with a walk to first base for second baseman Demi Turner, who was hit by a pitch. She was able to advance to second base due to a wild pitch, and later was able to advance to third on an out by Haylie McCleney. An RBI single by Marisa Runyon then brought Turner on home giving Bama the early 1-0 lead.
Unfortunately it was the Tiger's turn at bat that turned the Tide, despite the two-run rally attempt in the seventh inning. LSU was able to get three runs in their half of the first inning, then added two more in the second to take a 5-1 lead into the seventh.
"LSU played a great game," Alabama head softball coach Patrick Murphy said. "Congrats to them. I know they will play really well tomorrow. I always ask our team to at least get the tying run to the plate at the end of the game and see what happens. We showed a lot of fight and grit. I really thought someone was going to get it done in that seventh inning, but unfortunately it just didn't happen."
Runyon set the new season RBI record for Alabama at 80 with that first inning RBI single for the game's first score. It beats the old mark of 79 set back in 2008 by Charlotte Morgan. She also led the Tide offensively going 2 for 4 at the plate.
"The hardest thing about this loss is that not only is our senior class full of good players, but they are also great people," said Runyon. "They are all the definition of an Alabama softball player. It's going to be a hard class to follow up. Not everyone thought we were going to be here, and what it came down to was our one heartbeat as a team. We all have each other's' backs - one through eighteen - and it was just a really fun team to be a part of."
Bama starting pitcher Sydney Littlejohn (16-2) suffered her second loss of the season. Both she and reliever Leslie Jury pitched three innings apiece last night.
"I don't think a lot of people expected us to even make it past the Super Regionals," said Danae Hays. "I think we exceeded a lot of expectations and I think this is definitely a season we can all be proud of. We left everything out there on that field and when we go home and lay our heads down, we can be proud of that."
Despite a valiant seventh inning rally attempt the Lady Tide ends the season at 48-15 in a 5-3 loss to LSU in last evenings final elimination game.
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Bama Beats Oregon 5-1
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama softball team (48-14) advanced after their 1:30 PM game today by knocking off Oregon (51-8) by a 2-1 score in the Women's College World Series at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
This was the fifth complete game of the postseason for Tide starting pitcher Alexis Osorio (22-9). She held the Oregon offense to only one run on three hits. Osorio had her highest strike-out total of the NCAA Tournament with nine.
Bama's two runs came in the bottom of the second inning. Chandler Dare hit a two-run single scoring Danae Hays, who got on base by a walk, and Danielle Richard who got on base hitting a double.
Oregon's lone score came in the third inning. Though Oregon threatened in the fourth inning, the Tide defense rose to the occasion.
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Tide Track&Field Have Good Day
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
It was a good day for the University of Alabama track and field team yesterday, qualifying four individuals in three events and three relays for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the NCAA East Preliminary meet. Overall, the Tide has 17 qualifiers, consisting of nine men and eight women.
Alabama head coach Dan Waters said, "This was a good meet for us overall. We had some really great performances and athletes across the board stepped up to get the job done. I felt like every athlete who traveled to this meet had an opportunity to qualify for the NCAA meet and I am proud of everyone who competed this weekend. We are ready to head home and start preparing for the NCAA Championships."
Qualifying were senior Nia Barnes and freshman Danielle McConnell in the women's hammer, junior Ahmed Ali in the men's 200-meter dash, sophomore Jeremiah Green in the men's triple jump, then in the 4x400-meter relay it was junior Steven Gayle, junior Cameron Hudson, sophomore Jacopo Lahbi and senior Alex Amankwah.
The Crimson Tide now goes to Eugene, Oregon on June 10-13 to compete in the NCAA Championships.
