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May 2, 2009

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - No. 3 Alabama (45-8, 21-6 SEC) banged out 12 runs on just seven hits to complete a Saturday doubleheader sweep of No. 15 Tennessee (37-15-1, 12-12-1 SEC) with a 12-0 (5 inn.) victory in front of 872 patrons at the Lee Softball Stadium.

Freshman pitcher Cat Hosfield took the loss in the circle to drop to 27-11 on the season by allowing four earned runs on just two hits with two walks and a strikeout in one inning of work. Freshman Jessica Spigner worked four frames in relief, permitting seven earned tallies on five hits with a pair of base-on-balls and a strikeout.

Alabama junior hurler Charlotte Morgan improved to 14-6 in the circle, firing five innings of one-hit softball with a walk and three K's.

"Alabama played very strong all day," Lady Vol co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. "They are a great team and really took it to us. We definitely helped them as evidenced by the fact that when they scored their ninth run of the game, they had just five hits. We walked too many batters and dropped a perfect throw at the plate that opened the door for four runs to score during their big second inning. We are a better team than we showed today. We need to get better before next week's SEC Tournament."

An error on the Lady Vol infield leading off the contest opened the door for the Crimson Tide to nab an early lead. Center fielder Brittany Rogers reached on the miscue, swiped second and advanced to third on a groundout to first base from second baseman Lauren Parker. Pitcher Charlotte Morgan lifted a fly ball to left that Hammond squeezed for the second out of the inning, scoring Rogers via the sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.

After Morgan worked through the Tennessee line-up in order in the first, `Bama blew the game wide open in the top of the second scoring eight runs on five hits with the benefit of three walks to race in front, 9-0. The big blow in the frame came on a three-run homer to left field off the bat of catcher Ashley Holcombe.

Needing something to happen offensively after wasting a lead-off walk from freshman designated player Shelby Burchell in the third, sophomore center fielder Kelly Grieve tallied the Big Orange's initial hit of the contest versus Morgan by beating out an infield single starting the bottom of the fourth. Junior first baseman Tiffany Huff lifted a fly ball to left that was caught on a knee by `Bama's Whitney Larsen. A Lady Vol strikeout and a deep fly ball to center off the bat of junior right fielder Erinn Webb left the runner stranded at first.

With one retired in the top of the fifth, pinch hitter Kendall Dawson ripped a double off Spigner over Grieve's head in center and off the wall for a double. UA first baseman Amanda Locke coerced a walk to join her teammate on the base paths. Third baseman Kelley Montalvo drove a shot to deep right center that was tracked down by Grieve for the second out as Dawson advanced up 60 feet to third. Shortstop Kellie Eubanks stepped into the batter's box and drove a three-run shot over the wall in left as the Tide improved its advantage to 12-0.

Down to Tennessee's last opportunity to avoid the run-rule, sophomore Ashton Ward christened the bottom of the fifth in a pinch hitting appearance and bounced out to third. Sophomore second baseman Natalee Weissinger laced a flyout to right, and then a UT strikeout ended the contest.

No. 15 Tennessee now awaits word on its seeding for the annual Southeastern Conference Tournament scheduled to be held this season at Lee Softball Stadium over May 7-9th. UT will be in action on Thursday, May 7th, at 7:30 p.m. ET against an opponent still to be determined.