Tide Softball Wins 9-7 After 8-Run 6th Inning
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The fourth-ranked Crimson Tide softball team was trailing badly in the sixth inning, 7-1, when the Bama bats erupted into and eight-run rally to beat the 15th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs 9-7.
Alabama softball head coach Patrick Murphy said, "We've said from the beginning of the season that we’re never out of a game. I think today was the proof. We found holes and had good base runners.”
The Crimson Tide's eight runs in the inning included seven hits from 13 different batters. That first hit came from the bat of freshman Caroline Hardy who now has three hits in pinch-hit at-bats, the most of any Bama player.
Murphy commented, "She has been sitting on the bench and to come out with a big hit
like that was huge. It got the rally started. She has
accepted her role and has perfected it. Reagan [Dykes] struggled in her
first two at-bats and Hardy seems to have a knack for getting on base.
It was just a hunch."
Alabama now improves to 45-10 overall, 16-7 SEC. The Tide's win came in front of a season-high crowd of 3,781 at Rhoads Stadium.
Eight of the nine Bama starters reached base. Seven RBIs came from seven different hitters in the Saturday contest.
Alexis Osorio (14-6) is credited with the win, tossing another complete game.
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Alabama Women's Golf 4th At Regional
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Headed To 11th-Consecutive NCAA Championship
Alabama Freshman Golfer Cheyenne Knight
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
The Crimson Tide (306-300-302/908) slid from 16 shots back on Friday to finish 21 shots behind first place Northwestern (296-294-297/887) overall. Florida State finished in second (299-297-309/905), followed by Oklahoma State (301-297-309/907), Alabama, Tennessee (300-311-301/912) and Michigan (311-305-300/916). All six teams of these teams qualified for the 2016 NCAA Championships May 20-25 at the Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Oregon. Alabama’s 302 on Saturday was the fourth-lowest round of the day.
Alabama women's golf coach Mic Potter said, "It's nice to know that even if we don’t play well, we can get through this and survive. This definitely wasn’t our best golf. We hit a lot of poor shots relative to our ability and how we’ve played recently. Now this golf course will do that to you. You get a little anxiety and a little tension and it’s hard to make your swing.
"The harder the golf course, the more the cream is going to rise to the top,” Potter continued. "I don’t like to be in a regional where it’s a birdie-fest and everybody can make a bunch of birdies because you never know if your putter is going to get going. I want it to be a stern test and I want it difficult so when we go to the national championships in Eugene we’re not afraid of a difficult golf course."
Senior Emma Talley led the Crimson Tide with a 1-over par 73 on Saturday to finish in a tie for seventh at 8-over par for the tournament (75-76-73/224). Freshman Cheyenne Knight was next for Bama finishing in a tie for 15th (77-74-77/228). Sophomores Lakareber Abe (79-75-76/230) and Nicole Morales (78-75-77/230) tied for 24th position, and senior Janie Jackson (76-80-76/232) tied for 36th.
Following Saturday's final round, Talley commented, "It was a rough day on the first day and the second day we just focused on the word patience. I think that word was in our minds today too. This course can eat you up but at the same time, if you stay patient you can fight it out. I think this was the best thing that could have happened for our team. We’ve had a really solid year but I think this will make us work harder and get ready for nationals."
The coming trip to Eugene, Oregon will be Alabama’s 12th to the NCAA Championships and the 11th consecutive under Potter. Not only will Bama be seeking a second NCAA team title (2012), Talley will be defending the NCAA individual championship she won just a year ago at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida. Talley became the first Alabama women’s golfer to win NCAA medalist honors with her win last season.
Alabama Senior Golfer Emma Talley
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
Alabama Senior Golfer Janie Jackson
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
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Alabama Wins In-State Rivalry Series
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Tide Downs Tigers 4-3 On Saturday
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Daniel Melograna
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Daniel Melograna
A sold-out crowd at Sewell-Thomas Stadium last night watched as the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team (27-20, 12-11 SEC) defeated in-state rival Auburn 4-3 in 11 innings. A ground at the Tiger second baseman from Bama's Georgie Salem drove in Ryan Blanchard for the victory. The win clinches the weekend series for the Tide.
The 11th inning rally began for the Crimson Tide with a leadoff single from Blanchard. Cucjen then sacrificed himself to put Blanchard into scoring position. Next a four-pitch walk put runners on first and second for Bama and brought Salem to the plate. The senior sent a ground ball right at the Auburn second baseman that was a perfect setup for a double play, but an error allowed Blanchard to keep running and cross home plate for the 4-3 victory.
Crimson Tide starter Jake Walters pitched 5.0 innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and three walks with five strikeouts before retiring for the day and turning it over to the Bama bullpen. It was Dylan Duarte, Sam Finnerty and Thomas Burrows combining then to work the final 6.0 innings and Bama in position for the win. Finnerty tossed a season-high 2.2 innings and struck out three in the process before handing it over to Burrows.
Gaspard continued, "It's a big win, as it wins the series for you and puts you in the position to sweep tomorrow. You just build on it. We're not going to look at the negatives at this point. A win is always a positive and there was a lot of good things that went on. There were some things that we want to clean up and get better in, but anytime you're up 2-0 after Saturday, you're going to like where you're at."
Alabama will be looking for the sweep today against the Tigers. The Tide will start junior right-hander Nick Eicholtz on the mound. Auburn will be countering with junior left-hander Ben Braymer for today's series finale. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
Georgia Salem drives in winning run
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Daniel Melograna
