The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Alabama
Rebels Drop Rubber Match To No. 11 Alabama 2-1
4/3/2005 | Softball
April 3, 2005
Box Score
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The rubber-match of the weekend's series between the Rebels and Crimson Tide proved to be just as entertaining as the first two games as solid pitching and defensive teamwork for most of the game were the hallmark of both teams.
In the end, Alabama (40-9, 13-5 SEC) took advantage of a break when it needed it and snatched the 2-1 win from Ole Miss (24-16, 4-8 SEC) to claim the series two games to one.
Tara Willitt (7-3) suffered the loss for the Rebels as she tossed a complete game that saw no strikeouts or walks, but plenty of defense from the Ole Miss infield. Willitt only allowed one earned run on the day.
Stephanie VanBrakle (20-4) picked up the win for the Crimson Tide as she struck out 12 and walked one, but allowed only one run a home run from Erin Faircloth.
"We wanted to get the win badly, but we played a good game today," said Ole Miss head coach Candi Letts. "We had a solid weekend with a great performance from our pitching staff and we played solid defense as a whole. We really fought well as a team against one of the top teams in the nation. We have to take what we've learned and go from here on into the rest of the season."
Alabama got off to an early start when a routine play went wild on the Rebels as a grounder to short was thrown wide and sailed into the dugout, allowing Jackie Wilkins to reach first and advance to second. Wilkins advanced to third on a grounder to second from Capper Reed. A grounder to third from Staci Ramsey scored Wilkins from third and put the Tide ahead 1-0.
Faircloth answered for the Rebels in the second inning with her first career home run to tie the game at one. Faircloth took the first pitch deep over the centerfield fence to tie the game.
The Crimson Tide pushed a runner to second in the third inning when Ashley Courtney reached on a single through the left side and then stole second. The Rebels ended the out when Ramsey flew foul to left.
Dani Woods led off the fifth with a single up the middle and Deasy Phillips pinch ran for her at first. Phillips then advanced on a sac bunt from Emily Currie. Phillips then moved to third on a single to right from Jordan Prayter. Alabama scored on a single to first that Warner dove to stop from getting through the left side to score Phillips from third and move Prayter to second. The Rebels notched the second out when Willitt threw to third to get Prayter on a grounder from Courtney.
Ole Miss looked to get things going in the sixth when Mary Jane Callahan led off with a bunt single. That was erased as a grounder to short got Callahan at second for the first out of the inning. The next two Rebel batters struck out swinging to end the Ole Miss threat in the sixth.
Alabama got a triple with two outs from Dominique Accetturo when a routine fly to right got lost in the sun and fell to the ground behind the fielder to allow Accetturo to move to third and keep the inning alive for the Tide.
Rebecca McIntire led off the seventh with a single up the middle before being replaced by Vanessa Gibbs as a pinch runner at first. Gibbs then moved to second on a sac bunt from pinch hitter Mandy Ott. Turner then struck out, but reached on a dropped third strike to put runners at first and second with one out. Alabama then sent in Chrissy Owens to close for VanBrakle. Warner reached on a grounder to short as Alabama got Gibbs at third on the force. The Tide claimed the win on a grounder to short that caught Turner on the tag as she ran by the fielder.
Ole Miss will return to action on Wednesday, April 6, when the Rebels take to the road to challenge the Skyhawks of UT-Martin in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
