#10 Alabama Rallies To Finish Off Series Sweep Of Bulldogs, 9-1
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Bulldogs Return To Close Out Home Schedule This Week
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Tenth-ranked Alabama rallied to erase an early 1-0 deficit with nine runs in the final three innings and the Crimson Tide finished off a weekend series sweep of visiting Mississippi State with a 9-1 mercy rule victory over the Bulldogs in the series finale Sunday afternoon at the Alabama Softball Complex.
The loss marked State's (25-21, 6-12 SEC) fourth-straight Southeastern Conference loss after posting its longest league winning streak (5) since 2001 in the midst of a nine-game homestand last week. The win stretched Alabama's (44-9, 16-5) current winning skein out to five games and kept the Crimson and White in the thick of the race for the conference's regular season title.
Capper Reed hit a pair of home runs in consecutive at-bats to highlight a 2-for-2 day at the plate with a trio of RBI, while Dani Woods hit a home run of her own on a 1-for-3 hitting line for the hosts. Katie Cooley provided the only offensive highlights for the Bulldogs, scoring a run on a 1-for-1 tally with a walk.
MSU reliever Kelli Miller (9-7) was sent to her second loss of the series after allowing three runs on five hits in four innings of work and Ragan Blake allowed six earned runs on four hits in one-third of an inning from the circle, but did not get the decision. Stephanie VanBrakle (22-4) earned her second win of the weekend for the Crimson Tide after allowing just one hit and an unearned run over her 18th complete game of the campaign.
We came out and scored in that first inning, but we still aren't hitting the ball the way that we need to, said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. I thought VanBrakle threw a great ball game today and Kelli just sort of ran out of gas for us. It's just one of those series where we couldn't get anything generated offensively and we struggled defensively. We bunted really well so that was the positive from the weekend.
State took advantage of getting its leadoff batter on in the top of the first, using its short game, as well as a crucial Alabama error, to set the table for Tanelda McDonald who delivered a grounder to the right side that gave Cooley enough time to slide into home with the game's first run. Likewise, the Crimson Tide used an MSU error in the third to its advantage, moving the runner into scoring position with its short game to set the table for Ashley Courtney, who laced a ball up the middle to tie the score heading into the fourth.
Dominique Accetturo singled to lead off the fourth for the Crimson Tide, but Mississippi State appeared to dodge any damage until Reed came to the plate with two outs and delivered the first of her two long balls that barely escaped the outstretched glove of Nakita Boyce in centerfield.
The Crimson Tide loaded the bases with its first four at-bats in the fifth and got a bases-clearing double from Staci Ramsey to push its lead out to 6-1. Woods' homer moments later stretched the ?€˜Bama lead out to seven, and Reed put the mercy-rule into effect with the ensuing at-bat after smacking Blake's 1-and-1 offering over the fence in left centerfield.
Mississippi State will return to action on Tuesday evening when the Bulldogs begin a five-game homestand by hosting UAB in a 6 p.m. contest at the MSU Softball Field. The homestand, which also includes a Thursday evening tilt with Ole Miss and a weekend series against Arkansas, will close out the 2005 home schedule for the Maroon and White.
We have Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday here at home and the opportunity to get back into the race for the SEC Tournament, Miller said. Hopefully we can take advantage of that and get some kids healthy. We need to play better this week obviously.
