By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MAY 18, 2007
TUSCALOOSA, ALA. – After working its way out of the consolation bracket of the Ohio Valley Conference softball tournament to win the event and earn its third straight NCAA regional berth, the Tennessee Tech softball team made a statement, upsetting regional host and No. 5-ranked Alabama 4-2.
The Golden Eagles improved to 49-17, while the Crimson Tide saw their record fall to 51-8.
Despite only striking out one and walking six, senior Bonnie Bynum frustrated Alabama, stranding nine on the basepaths. Bynum allowed one earned run out of two crossed on four hits. With the win, she improved to 33-10 on the season.
Alabama starter Chrissy Owens allowed three of Tech's four runs on nine hits in five full frames of work. She didn't give up any free passes while mowing down five Golden Eagles on strikeouts. Blair Potter came on in relief, throwing the final two frames as she allowed one run on one hit, walking two and striking out three.
The Crimson Tide put a notch on the scoreboard first in the bottom half of the opening frame as Charlotte Morgan flied out to Stephanie Fischer in right, deep enough to score Brittany Rogers on the sacrifice.
It didn't take Tech long to answer, however, as Fischer hit her 11th home run of the season to lead off the top of the second. The Golden Eagles then loaded the bases as Bynum and Krystina Dobbs had back-to-back singles, and Kristyn Castonzo loaded the bases with a one-out single past the shortstop. However, Owens was able to coax a foul out and get a three-pitch strikeout to end the inning.
The Golden Eagles took the lead in the fifth as Beth Boden added to her school-record home run tally with her 25th of the season. (NOTE – Fischer broke Boden's record the following year with 27. – TC)
Alabama scratched that run back in the bottom half of the frame as Rogers singled up the middle, stole second, then a muffed throw at short allowed her to take third. Morgan repeated the scoring play from the first inning as she flied out – this time to center fielder Katie Sutherland – to drive in Rogers with the sacrifice.
Tech loaded the bases again in the sixth inning as Bynum led off with a single to left, Dobbs with a single to right, then – after a pitching change -- Castonzo with a one-out, four-pitch walk to fill the bags. Potter retired Sutherland on a strikeout, but with Boden back up, the junior drew a free pass to push Bynum across and earn an RBI.
The Golden Eagles added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as senior Ashley Potts led off the frame with a solo homer to left field, her 10th of the campaign.
Leading by two heading into the home half of the seventh was a nail-biter. Pinch-hitter Lauren Parker was hit by a pitch, then Rogers was able to reach on a fielder's choice with Parker getting erased on an interference call. A walk allowed Rogers to move into scoring position, then Jordan Praytor drew a full-count walk.
Tech got the second out as Morgan drilled a line drive into left, but Potts was there to make the grab. The second wild pitch of the inning allowed Rogers and Praytor to advance, then Dani Woods drew another full-count walk to load the bases – the game-tying run at second, the walk-off run at first.
Facing a 1-2 count, Mandy Burford connected with the ball, but it ended up being a roller back to the circle. Bynum picked up the ball and threw it to Kerilyn Mongar at first, clinching the win – the first for Tennessee Tech in the NCAA regionals and just the third by the Ohio Valley Conference membership.