Softball - Cathedral City Classic - Day 2

rtr1973 · February 20th, 2009, 11:23 AM

#1 Alabama takes on #6 UCLA in a late night game (10PM CT). There's no radio or internet streams from the game, just GameTracker. UPDATE: UCLA will stream audio of the game.

We'll probably see UCLA's Donna Kerr vs Bama's Kelsi Dunn in a pitching duel. Both have averaged roughly 1.5 strikeouts per inning pitched, but 11 of the 24 hits Kerr has given up this season have been for extra bases (and almost 4 runs per game). In contrast, Dunne has only given up 1 extra base hit (a double) and no earned runs in 23 innings pitched.

At the plate, Bama seems to get most of their runs from timely hits and aggressive base running where UCLA seems to get a lot of their runs from the long ball (23 HRs in 10 games).

UCLA's most dangerous hitter is Katie Shroeder (batting .469 with 6 homers), but almost everyone in the Bruins lineup is capable of going yard.

rtr1973 · February 20th, 2009, 11:28 PM

Late start due to previous game running long.

Lineup
Brittany Rogers, CF
Kelley Montalvo, 3B
Charlotte Morgan, P
Cassie Reilly-Boccia, RF
Whitney Larsen, LF
Lauren Parker, 2B
Amanda Locke, 1B
Kellie Eubanks, SS
Ashley Holcombe, C

1st inning

Kamekona lead off homer for UCLA
Shroeder singles
DiSalvatore doubles
Schull 2 RBI single, Shroeder and DiSalvatore score.
Langenfeld reaches on FC (off Morgan's leg), Schull out at 2nd.
Pitching change - Dunne in to pitch, Morgan to 1B, Locke to DH
Harrison strikes out
Burney grounds out to P

Rogers walks
Montalvo SAC bunt, Rogers to 2nd
Morgan pops out to C
Reilly-Bocca strikes out.

3-0 UCLA after 1

rtr1973 · February 20th, 2009, 11:57 PM

2nd inning

Yudin lead off walk, Mirabel pinch runs.
Harrison fouls out to 1B
Kamekona single thru left side, Mirabel to 2nd
Shroeder walks to load the bases, 1 out.
Pick off attempt at 3rd gets away from Monty (E2), Shroeder scores. Kamekona to 3rd, Mirabel to 2nd
DiSalvatore strikes out
Shull strikes out

Kerr strikes out the side

4-0 UCLA after 2.

rtr1973 · February 21st, 2009, 12:20 AM

3rd inning

Langerfeld flies out to LF
Harrison KOs
Burney walks
Yudin HBP, Burney to 2nd
Harrison grounds out to 2B

Eubanks pops out to P
Holcombe KOs
Rogers walks, steals 2nd
Montalvo walks
Morgan KOs

4-0 UCLA after 3

rtr1973 · February 21st, 2009, 12:46 AM

4th inning

3 up, 3 down for UCLA

Reilly-Boccia pops out to SS
Larsen homers
Parker flies out to 3B
Locke single to left
Eubanks fouls out to 1B

4-1 UCLA after 4

rtr1973 · February 21st, 2009, 01:03 AM

5th inning

Shull lead off double down RF line
Langenfeld fouls out to 3B
Harrison strikes out, Kelsi's 4th
Burney walks
Yudin pops out to SS

Bama goes 3 up, 3 down

4-1 UCLA after 5

rtr1973 · February 21st, 2009, 01:27 AM

6th inning

3 up, 3 down for UCLA

Morgan flies out to LF
Reilly-Boccia KOs
Larsen walks
Parker singles to LF, Larsen to 2nd
Locke hits into FC, Parker out at 2nd

4-1 UCLA after 6.

rtr1973 · February 21st, 2009, 01:49 AM

7th inning

Langenfeld gets a 2 out single
Harrison hits one to the wall, but Rogers reels it in to end the threat.

Eubanks pops out to C
Holcombe grounds out
Rogers grounds out

Final: UCLA 4, Bama 1

rtr1973 · February 21st, 2009, 01:59 AM

BTW - The apparent reason Bama started Morgan is that UCLA recruited Charlotte hard, but said they wouldn't let her pitch. Charlotte choose Bama instead. She wanted to pitch against UCLA to prove them wrong, but it didn't work out tonight.

Bamaball2001 · February 21st, 2009, 08:58 AM

	Quote:	rtr1973
	BTW - The apparent reason Bama started Morgan is that UCLA recruited Charlotte hard, but said they wouldn't let her pitch. Charlotte choose Bama instead. She wanted to pitch against UCLA to prove them wrong, but it didn't work out tonight.

It sure didn't. Either Charlotte's drop/curve ball wasn't working or they can hit the low pitch well. Either way that won't happen again.

I am sure the Murphy listened to her when (and if) she said that she wanted to pitch against them to prove them wrong; but if I am the coach I have to weigh the fact that many of these UCLA kids have faced Charlotte her whole Gold ball career, they know her and although she has improved as a pitcher, they have also gotten bigger and stronger as hitters... tough choice to make.

The upside is that Kelsi did real well over 6+ innings and Larsen is really starting to show me that she doesn't believe in the sophomore jinx, that kid can really hit.

A loss, this season, was inevitable. I hate that it was UCLA but playing them will give us needed perspective.

RTR!

February 21st, 2009, 10:25 AM

Hate we got the loss, but it's a marathon, not a sprint.

Roll Tide!

rtr1973 · February 21st, 2009, 11:51 AM

	Quote:	Bamaball2001
	I am sure the Murphy listened to her when (and if) she said that she wanted to pitch against them to prove them wrong; but if I am the coach I have to weigh the fact that many of these UCLA kids have faced Charlotte her whole Gold ball career, they know her and although she has improved as a pitcher, they have also gotten bigger and stronger as hitters... tough choice to make.

I just wonder if Charlotte will be able to put the nightmare behind her quickly or if it will take some time to rebuild her confidence.

Bamaball2001 · February 21st, 2009, 05:10 PM

	Quote:	rolltidescott
	Hate we got the loss, but it's a marathon, not a sprint.Roll Tide!

Yes, it is and we knew that this was a major test so early in the year. I agree with the thinking though; if you play tough competition all year you get tough yourself or you get gone. I say what don't kill you makes you strong. With that said, I hate losing to anyone but UCLA in particular especially when it boils down to one bad inning .

In the mean time, while we play UCLA and Oklahoma the Barn is playing Winthrop and Austin Peay; Georgia is playing Ball State and IUPUI and bragging about their record.

	Quote:	rtr1973
	I just wonder if Charlotte will be able to put the nightmare behind her quickly or if it will take some time to rebuild her confidence.

One thing Charlotte is, is tough. She will shake it off and be ready to go. She is a leader and she knows that we not only will need her pitching we will need her stick in the middle of the line up. I think she will be ready. We will see how her head is tonight against Oklahoma.

RTR!