No. 4 UT Falls in Opener to No. 2 Alabama

Saturday, March 8

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

University of Tennessee

20-2, 0-1

Alabama

19-1, 1-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Tennessee	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
Alabama	1	0	4	1	0	2	8	11	0

March 08, 2008 | Softball

Box Score

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ??? In front of a school-record crowd of 2,252 at the UA Softball Stadium on a blustery and cold Saturday afternoon, No. 4 Tennessee dropped an 8-0 (6 inn.) decision to No. 2 Alabama (19-1) to fall to 20-2 on the season and 0-1 in Southeastern Conference action.??
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In her initial SEC start, freshman Ashton Ward allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits, struck out four and walked three over five innings of work, dropping to 12-2 on the campaign.
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The Big Orange offense got hits from senior third baseman Tonya Callahan, senior catcher Shannon Doepking and sophomore right fielder Tiffany Huff in the contest and drew a pair of walks, but left seven runners stranded on the base paths.
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With two retired in the top of the first, the Lady Vols got a threat started with the help of Crimson Tide freshman starter Kelsi Dunne.?? Callahan drew a walk and Doepking was struck by a pitch to place two aboard for Huff.?? The Saugus, Calif., native battled the count to 3-2 and then fouled off three tough offerings from Dunne before a close call went UT???s way for ball four to load the bases.?? Unfortunately for the Big Orange, a strikeout ended the frame as the Lady Vols left three runners stranded.
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???Bama lead-off hitter Brittany Rogers christened the Tide half of the first by battling Ward to 3-2 and fouling off several pitches before grounding out to sophomore Anita Manuma at short.?? Third baseman Kelley Montalvo walked to put a runner aboard with one down as second baseman Lauren Parker stepped in the box.?? Ward fired a strike down the middle and then induced a high pop fly to left field that Hammond squeezed for out number two.?? Left fielder Dani Woods followed by driving a 1-1 offering from Ward just inside the chalk down the left field line, bringing the speedy Montalvo all the way around from first with the contest???s initial run.?? First baseman Charlotte Morgan popped out in foul territory to second baseman Kenora Posey as the Los Angeles, Calif., native made a stellar running grab down the right field line to conclude the inning.
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The Big Orange went down one-two three in the second to bring UA to the plate in the bottom half looking for more.?? Catcher Ashley Holcombe walked to open the bottom of the frame and was replaced on the base paths by Jordan Praytor.?? Shortstop Kellie Eubanks was called on to drop a sacrifice bunt, but failed in her job eventually taking a called strike three on the inside corner.?? Designated player Whitney Larsen went down swinging for the second retirement, but on the play, Praytor swiped second to achieve scoring position.?? Right fielder Katie Johnson got ahead of Ward in the count, but UT???s 6-0 right hander battled back to 3-2 before catching Johnson looking at strike three to ???K??? the side.
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Lady Vol lefty slappers Posey and Hammond christened the top of the third with consecutive line drives toward third.?? Unfortunately both shots traveled directly to UA???s Montalvo who nabbed them for two quick outs.?? Callahan followed with a bouncing single through the left side of the infield and past a diving Eubanks at short for the Big Orange???s first hit.?? Doepking popped up to second, however, as the inning ended with ???Bama still up, 1-0.
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Rogers opened the Crimson Tide third by beating out an infield single and swiping second to reach scoring territory.?? Montalvo followed with a base knock through the right side and advanced 60 feet on the preventative throw to the plate.?? With runners at second and third and none out, Parker drove the first pitch from Ward deep to right center for a three-run bomb as Alabama grabbed a 4-0 advantage.?? Callahan made an outstanding running catch down the left field line in foul territory near the fence for the first out, settling things down for the UT defense.?? Webb squeezed a high fly ball off the bat of Morgan in center to mark the second out.?? Unfortunately for the Big Orange, Holcombe hammered a shot to deep left for a solo home run as the Crimson Tide nabbed a five-tally advantage.
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Huff attempted to ignite the Lady Vol offense to open the fourth as the Saugus, Calif., product ripped a sharp bouncer back up the middle for a lead-off single.?? Following a strikeout, a scary moment for the Big Orange as Lapicki fouled a ball up under the bill of her batting helmet, eventually forcing her to leave the contest with an injury.?? Thankfully, she did walk off the diamond under her own power.?? Her replacement, sophomore Allison Fulmer, inherited a tough count at 1-2 and went down swinging for the second retirement.?? A routine infield pop-up off the bat of Manuma concluded the inning.
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The Tide threatened again in the fourth with Larsen reaching on a crucial UT error and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt.?? Manuma corralled a bouncer from Rogers and made a heads-up play for the second out by quickly diving to tag the runner attempting to venture to third.?? With two down in the inning, Montalvo laced an RBI-double into the gap in right center to bring Rogers across the dish with an unearned run as ???Bama???s lead grew to 6-0.
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After UA left the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Callahan was struck by a Dunne pitch to open the sixth, christening the most promising Big Orange rally since the opening frame.?? Doepking battled to a 3-2 count before being jammed by Dunne and fisted a blooper that traveled just over a leaping Parker???s glove at second.?? The ball dropped into right center field to place two aboard with no one retired.?? Huff flied out to Woods in mid-range left for the first out.?? Unfortunately, the once promising threat ended on consecutive strikeouts of Webb and Fulmer.??????????
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Montalvo laced another run-scoring double off Ward in the bottom of the sixth to make it 7-0.?? Parker followed with a base knock to center to bring home UA???s eighth tally and end the contest.
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No. 4 Tennessee will complete its three-game series against the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 9, beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.?? Live stats will be available through utladyvols.com and, as always, periodic updates of the UT game will be recorded on the Lady Vol Hotline (865-974-8700, box #6).