NO. 17 ALABAMA BLANKS LADY VOLS IN OPENER, 6-0

Saturday, March 23

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

University of Tennessee

28-11-1, 5-4

Alabama

24-11, 8-2

Tennessee

#17 Alabama

March 23, 2002 | Softball

Box Score

March 23, 2002

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.

The duo of senior All-American Shelley Laird and rookie Jennifer Wright limited the Lady Vols to just two hits and 17th-ranked Alabama took advantage of erratic UT pitching to register a 6-0 shutout in the first game of the clubs' weekend series at the UA Softball Complex. In winning its sixth consecutive game, the Crimson Tide (24-11/8-2 SEC) chased junior Stephanie Humphrey (18-7) after one inning and earned a total of seven walks from the trio of Humphrey and sophomores Crystal Bobo and Ellisha Humphrey. Tennessee fell to 28-11-1 overall and 5-4 in the Southeastern Conference with the defeat.

The Tide was able to get on the board in its first at bat, as sophomore Jackie McClain poked a one-out RBI double to center field to drive in freshman Jackie Wilkins. After Stephanie Humphrey had retired leadoff batter senior Suzanne Olcott on a fly out, Wilkins drew a walk and then took second on a wild pitch. McClain tagged a 3-2 pitch for a two-bagger to give UA the 1-0 lead. Humphrey fanned junior Lacy Prejean for the second out but then struggled with her control, issuing consecutive free passes to freshman Ashley Courtney and sophomore Angela Johnson. The right-hander induced a pop out by freshman Emily Currie to end the inning, but not until she had thrown a whopping 41 pitches.

Alabama reached relief pitcher Bobo for a pair of runs in the second on a two-out single by McClain. Freshman Leah White earned a base on balls to start the inning and was sacrificed to second by junior Jennifer Reach. Bobo set down Olcott on a fly ball to sophomore Nikki Sexton but then walked Wilkins with two down, bringing McClain to the plate. The 2001 SEC Rookie of the Year smacked a 3-1 pitch into left center to plate both of her teammates. Prejean walked for the Crimson Tide's sixth free pass of the afternoon before Courtney flew out to junior Nicole Schaeffer to leave the count at 3-0.

The Weeklys elected to bring Ellisha Humphrey into the circle in the bottom of the third, marking the Knoxville native's first-ever college appearance as a pitcher. Leadoff hitter Johnson sliced a single to right and Currie followed with a base-hit into right to give the Tide two runners on with none out. Humphrey walked White to fill the bases and the righty plunked junior Jennifer Reach to bring in Johnson with 'Bama's fourth run. Olcott's fielder's choice increased the hosts' lead to 5-0 before a successful double steal from White (home) and Olcott (second base) resulted in another run.

Humphrey settled down to keep the Tide off the board in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Over her four innings on the mound, the sophomore struck out three, allowed three runs and surrendered just two hits. Laird worked four innings, striking out seven, to pick up her 13th win of the campaign against six defeats. Wright hurled three hitless innings with five K for her first save of 2002. McClain was 2-for-3 with three runs batted in to lead UA, while senior Adrianna Wilson poked a couple of singles for Tennessee's only hits of the first game.