University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Alabama
Lady Vols Fall Twice To #14 Alabama At Tyson Park
March 24, 2000 | Softball
Entertaining 14th-ranked Alabama at Tyson Park on Friday night, the Lady Vol softball team hoped to improve upon its 2-2 mark in the Southeastern Conference and snap a three-game skid to the Tide. Unfortunately for the Orange and White, the visitors from Tuscaloosa had other ideas. When the dust had settled, 'Bama left Knoxville with two more victories to continue its best start in the program's four-year history. Alabama took the first game with a pair of runs in the sixth, 2-1, and then completed the sweep with an 8-2 triumph in the nightcap.
Tennessee falls to an even 14-14 and 2-4 in SEC action with the defeats, while the Western Division co-leaders raise their mark to 35-6 overall and 5-1 in league play. UT has now been swept by Alabama in two consecutive series, last March in Tuscaloosa (4-0 and 9-2) and tonight.
With the opening game scoreless, sophomore catcher Adrianna Wilson led off the fifth with a solo homer over the left field fence off Alabama hurler Shelley Laird. The blast was her team-leading fourth dinger on the campaign and came on a 3-1 offering from Laird. UA's Suzanne Olcott began the sixth with a grounder that was muffed and then thrown into the Lady Vols' dugout. Following a wild pitch that moved Olcott over to third, senior Jackie Beavers struck out Jennifer Reach looking. With one down, the Tide's Kelly Kretschman was hit by a pitch, giving the Tide runners on the corners. Ginger Jones then followed with an infield single to drive in Olcott with the tying run. A base-hit to center field by 'Bama's Christy Kyle allowed Kretschman to come across with what would prove to be winning run.
Laird gave up six hits, struck out five and allowed one run to improve to an impressive 19-3 on the season. Meanwhile, Beavers surrendered six hits and just one earned run to fall to 7-8 this season. The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Warren, Ohio, native.
In game two, Alabama grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first a two-out miscue by UT that allowed Kelley Askew to score an unearned run from third base. The Lady Vols would then manage a pair of runs in the second frame on four hits to assume a 2-1 advantage. Sophomore Maria Torres started the inning with a base-hit to left field off Alabama pitcher Melissa Bautista and then senior Amanda Venable laced a blooper into left to move pinch runner Nicole Murray over to second. A bunt by UT rookie pitcher Leslie Poole then loaded the sacks with none out. An RBI single into left by junior Annie Fletcher knotted the game at 1-1 before a fielder's choice by senior April Phillips forced Venable at home. With one out and the bases still loaded, junior Holly Ellison drew a walk to allow Poole to come across with the go-ahead run. However, junior Maura Mollet would line out into a double play to halt Tennessee's threat. The Crimson Tide reclaimed the lead in the third stanza on Jones' 11th homer of the season, a towering shot over the left field fence which plated Kretschman, who had previously stroked a one-out single.
Hanging on to a tenuous 3-2 advantage heading into the seventh, Alabama exploded for five runs on four hits and another Lady Vol error to coast to the 8-2 win. A total of 10 Tide batters would be sent to the plate against Poole and freshman reliever Stephanie Humphrey. Bautista would go all the way in the circle, scattering eight singles, in raising her mark to 12-2 for 'Bama. Poole went 6.1 innings, giving up nine hits and six runs, to suffer her third straight loss to fall to 4-4. Humphrey was charged with two runs on one hit in two-thirds of an inning.
Kretschman wound up 3-for-4 to lead Alabama, while Jones was 2-for-3 with three RBI. For the Lady Vols, Venable contributed a pair of hits.
On a three-game slide, Tennessee is back in action tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock with a pair of games against Auburn. The Tigers fell twice at the hands of Kentucky this evening in Lexington, Ky., by scores of 4-3 and 10-6. AU is now 22-14 overall and 2-6 in league action.
