Alabama
vs. Shelton State
Softball Sweeps Its Two Fall Brawl Matchups
10/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Oct. 19, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama softball team opened its fall exhibition slate with a pair of wins. The Crimson Tide started play with a 24-1 victory over Shelton State and then closed out Fall Brawl I with a 3-2 win over South Alabama. The Tide amassed 27 runs en route to the two wins Sunday at the Alabama Softball Complex.
"It was nice to get out there and mix it up with opposing teams," head coach Patrick Murphy said. "There are a lot of positives to take out of these fall games and today was no exception. We got great performances out of Amanda (Locke) and (Kelly) Montalvo. It was also nice to get the freshman into the mix with Kendall (Dawson) catching a great game to open play today and Olivia (Gibson) getting the big hit."
Alabama opened the day by clubbing 19 hits and plating 24 runs to cruise to a 24-1 win over nearby Shelton State. Kelley Montalvo paced the Tide with a 4-for-5 effort, driving in five and scoring four runs. Five members of the Alabama squad recorded a multi-hit game. Seven Tide players drove in multiple runs.
After opening play with three runs in the first the Tide tacked on four more in the second and two more in the third. After another run in the fourth, Alabama erupted for 14 runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure the win.
Senior Brittany Rogers batted 2-for-3 and scored twice while Kellie Eubanks batted 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI. Newcomers Jennifer Fenton and Kendall Dawson collected two hits apiece in their collegiate debut. Olivia Gibson batted 1-for-2 with three RBI.
Amanda Locke went the distance for the Tide, allowing one run on one hit while striking out seven. Three different Shelton State pitchers were tagged for multiple runs.
The Lady Bucs got its lone run on one hit on a home run by Kayla Gordy. Nicole Morrison was tagged with the loss after surrendering seven runs on seven hits in two innings pitched.
After runs came at an alarming rate for Alabama in game one, they were just as hard to come by in the night cap. The Crimson Tide earned a 3-2 victory over South Alabama to conclude play Sunday.
Locke again went the distance for the Tide, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four. In all, Locke pitched 12 innings in her first day in the circle for Alabama.
"Amanda was great for us in her pitching debut," Murphy said. "She pitched a lot of innings and was able to get some quality work in."
Alabama opened play just how it ended in game one. The Crimson Tide plated two runs to open the second game. Like so many times in her career, Rogers set the tone by promptly turning a single into a double after a stolen base and then being brought home on a single by Whitney Larsen. Eubanks brought Montalvo home on a single up the middle.
The two team traded runs in the fourth but the Jaguars then pulled within one when they scored in the fifth. Gibson supplied what proved to be the game-winner with her first home run at the collegiate ranks with a shot over the right-centerfield wall.
Montalvo led the Tide at the plate once again with a 2-for-3 effort. Overall the senior batted 6-for-8 in the two games with five runs scored and six RBI.
Alabama will suit up for its second edition of fall play on Saturday, Oct. 25 for Fall Brawl II. The Crimson Tide will host Chattanooga State, Wallace State and Middle Tennessee State for a total of eight games in two days.
