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May 8, 2009

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A walk-off solo home run off the bat of No. 3 Alabama (47-8) left fielder Whitney Larsen leading off the bottom of the eighth guided the Tide past a difficult Kentucky (32-21) squad in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals on Friday night at the Lee Softball Stadium.

Both teams managed five hits in the contest with center fielder Brittany Rogers leading the way with two hits in three at-bats. UA shortstop Kellie Eubanks (1-for-3) and Larsen (1-for-2) each tallied a RBI in the contest. Kentucky shortstop Molly Johnson was incredible at the plate going a perfect 4-for-4 with a run scored, while designated player Rachel Riley (1-for-4) knocked in UK's only score.

Charlotte Morgan picked up the win in the circle for the Tide by allowing just one hit over two frames of work. Riley took the loss after permitting one run on two hits in four frames of relief.

The Wildcats used some small ball to christen a threat against `Bama starter Kelsi Dunne in the top of the first. Shortstop Molly Johnson opened the contest by beating out a perfect bunt back to the circle. Center fielder Meagan Aull also bunted as Johnson advanced to second on a late fielder's choice try to second. Catcher Megan Yocke became the third straight batter to drop a bunt, sacrificing the runners up 60 feet into scoring position. Third baseman Brittany Cervantes battled Dunne over a 14-pitch at-bat before coercing a walk to load the bases with just one retired. Second baseman Natalie Smith lifted a pop-up on the infield that was tracked down by Kelley Montalvo to get the Crimson Tide one out from escaping a big jam. Riley hit a ball off the end of the bat, popping up harmlessly to Alabama's Lauren Parker at second as the Wildcats left the bags packed.

UK starter Chanda Bell started the game out throwing well from the circle. The freshman struck out `Bama center fielder Brittany Rogers, handled a liner back to the circle off the bat of Parker and induced a foul-out down the left field line from designated player Charlotte Morgan for a quick one-two-three bottom of the first.

Things were quiet in the second frame until Crimson Tide catcher Ashley Holcombe drove a 2-2 pitch from Bell into the left center field gap with one out. The UK hurler responded to `Bama's initial base knock by striking out first baseman Amanda Locke after a 10-pitch battle and catching third baseman Kelley Montalvo swinging at an inside pitch for a K.

Johnson opened the top of the third with a shot to right field that couldn't be corralled by a diving Cassie Reilly-Boccia. Following a UK fly out to left, the runner swiped second to reach scoring position. Yocke drew a walk and Smith was struck by a pitch, loading the bases with two retired. Riley followed by delivering the first big hit of the contest, driving a single through the left side as Johnson scored for a 1-0 advantage.

The Crimson Tide answered back immediately in the bottom of the third as shortstop Kellie Eubanks blasted a pitch just over the left field wall, tying the contest at 1-1. A free pass issued to left fielder Whitney Larsen and a stolen base gave Alabama a runner in scoring position with no outs. Rogers followed with a single through the middle of a drawn-in infield and swiped second. Parker skied a ball to center that was deep enough to score the runner, but the umpires ruled that Larsen had left third base early as `Bama quickly found itself with two outs. Morgan lifted a ball into foul ground that threatened to reach the seats along the third base line, but Johnson tracked it down just at the wall, concluding the inning.

The Wildcats managed to get a runner to second with two down in the top of the fifth on a walk issued to Cervantes and a UK groundout. Riley blasted a shot to deep left, but not quite far enough as UA's Larsen made the catch at the base of the wall for the third retirement.

Alabama turned to a new pitcher in the top of the seventh as Morgan entered in the circle against dangerous UK hitter Johnson. She came through for the Wildcats by lacing a 3-2 pitch down the line for a single. A UK strikeout and a fly out to mid-range center posted two quick outs. Cervantes stepped in with the chance to be a heroine and watched as Morgan unleashed a wild pitch allowing the runner to advance into second. Unfortunately for Kentucky, Cervantes ripped a liner but right to a diving Eubanks as she made the grab to conclude the frame.

A quick one-two-three inning for the Tide in the bottom half of the seventh sent the two teams to extra frames in order to settle Saturday's title game participant.

The match-up finally came to an end in the bottom of the eighth as Alabama lead-off hitter Larsen blasted a shot over the scoreboard in left center as the Tide posted a walk-off, 2-1 win.

UA will face the winner of tonight's Tennessee-Florida contest on Saturday in the SEC Tournament Championship game at 1:30 p.m. ET. The match-up will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Net.