No. 5/5 Alabama Downs Liberty, 10-2
2/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Liberty wrapped up its Florida trip on Sunday, taking on No. 5/5 Alabama. The Crimson Tide defeated the Lady Flames, 10-2, in six innings, at UCF Softball Complex.
Alabama improves to 4-1 on the season, closing out its time at the UCF Knights Invitational with three wins in a row. The Lady Flames' record stands at 2-4, following an opening weekend that saw them face two nationally ranked teams.
Liberty sustained four errors on the afternoon, as half of Alabama's 10 runs were unearned. Alabama outhit the Lady Flames, 12-6.
Sydney Littlejohn (1-1) earned the victory, allowing two runs on four hits in four innings pitched while striking out four. Alexis Osorio pitched two scoreless innings of relief, tallying five strikeouts.
Chase Cassady (1-2) drew the loss, yielding seven runs (two earned) on seven hits, with four strikeouts and five walks in three and one-thirds innings of work. Julia DiMartino gave up three runs on five hits, striking out one in two and one-thirds innings.
For Alabama, Andrea Turner went 3-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored, while Chandler Dare went 2-for-4 with four RBI. Demi Turner batted 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Marisa Runyon hit 2-for-3.
Liberty's Sarah Robertson batted 2-for-3 with one run scored, while Jaclyn Amader doubled and drove in one run and Deidra See record an RBI single. Cassie Gingerich and Alexia Taylor had one single each.
Cassady pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the first. After walking the bases loaded with two out, she fanned Schroder to keep the game scoreless.
The Crimson Tide entered the scoring column with a second-inning tally. Hawkins tripled to center with one out, and scored on an RBI groundout by Dare. Turner reached on an error, before McCleney flied out to end the inning.
Gingerich broke up Littlejohn's no-hit bid by singling with two outs in the top of the third, before an Alexia Taylor popout ended the frame.
Alabama added to its advantage, scoring five in the bottom of the third. Leona Lafaele made it to second on an error, and then Runyon plated her with an RBI single. Hawkins, Dare and Turner followed with RBI hits, making it 6-0 before Cassady struck out Caroline Hardy for the third out.
The Lady Flames battled back, rallying with one out in the top of the fourth. Robertson singled, and Amader lined an RBI double to left center. After a popout, See dropped a single into left, slicing the deficit to 6-2.
During the bottom of the fourth, the Crimson Tide got one run back. Singles by Lafaele and Runyon put runners on the corners. With one out, DiMartino entered the circle. Lafaeale then scored on a squeeze bunt, before Hawkins lined out.
Alabama scored once during the fifth inning, when Turner tripled and scored on a throwing error. DiMartino got the final two batters to fly out.
Robertson led off the sixth with a single to left off of reliever Osorio, before the Alabama right-hander struck out the side.
The Crimson Tide ended the game with a two-out, two-run double by Dare in the bottom of the sixth, bringing the run rule into effect.
The Lady Flames return to the road next week, traveling to Waco, Texas to compete in the Getterman Classic. While in Waco, Liberty will face North Texas, Baylor and Northwestern State.