By outreach@cw.ua.edu (Cody Estremera)
Alabama lost to Florida in two of the three games of the Gainesville Super Regional on Saturday, May 27.
The Crimson Tide won the first game against the Gators, by the score of 3-0. Alexis Osorio pitched a three hit shutout, struck out eight and walked three in the winning game.
Alabama scored all three runs in the fifth inning, all of which were unearned. Bailey Hemphill started the inning with a walk. Mari Cranek replaced her as a pinch runner. Reagan Dykes bunted her to second, and made it to first on the fielder’s choice. Chandler Dare bunted to the Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill, who threw the ball over the first baseman’s head, scoring both Cranek and Dykes. Sydney Booker followed Dare. She also bunted to Barnhill, who committed another error, scoring Dare.
The following day Florida tied the series with a 2-0 win. Delanie Gourley finished with the win for the Gators, while Sydney Littlejohn took the loss. Both pitchers went the distance, going all seven innings. The two combined for 12 strikeouts, four of which belonged to Littlejohn.
The only damage came in the third inning when Amanda Lorenz homered to right center field, scoring herself and centerfielder Justine McLean.
In the final of the three game series Florida took a 2-0 lead after the first inning. With runners on first and second and one out, Aleshia Ocasio singled in Lorenz. After a walk and a pop fly, Jordan Roberts was hit by a pitch on a 0-2 count to score Jannell Wheaton, for the final run of the inning.
Alabama answered with a two-out triple off the bat of Rachel Bobo. She would come in off an Elissa Brown single.
Besides allowing the one run, Barnhill shut down the Crimson Tide. She allowed only one base runner after the second inning, retiring 13 batters at one point. She went seven innings, and struck out 12.
Osorio struck out eight in her six innings. She also walked five and hit two.
With the loss, Alabama was eliminated from the NCAA tournament. Alabama finished 46-18 on the season.
Source:: The Crimson White Sports
