Tide Softball Falls to Arizona State, 3-1

(UA) OKLAHOMA CITY – Arizona State rallied with a three-run seventh inning to knock off Alabama 3-1 in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

The Crimson Tide fall to 56-7 while the Sun Devils improve to 62-5. ASU’s Katie Burkhart improved to 37-5 in the circle with 13 strikeouts while Kelsi Dunne fell to 25-5 with 10 strikeouts.

Dunne intentionally walked ASU’s Katie Cochran for the third time to lead off the seventh. The Sun Devils then put down the sacrifice bunt and Leslie Rogers delivered a RBI double into left-center field to tie the game.

Mandy Urfer followed by lining a pitch down the third base line that appeared foul, but was ruled fair by the umpire scoring two runs and giving ASU a commanding 3-1 lead.  

Charlotte Morgan plated the only run of the game for the Crimson Tide in the fifth inning with a RBI double to the left field wall. The double scored Jordan Praytor from first base, who had walked one batter earlier.

Dunne worked out of a bases loaded one-out jam in the top of the fifth inning as Kellie Eubanks gunned down a Sun Devils at the plate and Dunne fanned Kristen Miller to end the inning.

Dunne got another big strikeout in the sixth inning, fanning Mandy Cowles to end a two-on, two-out threat.

The Tide managed just three hits off Burkhart but stranded eight runners, including six in the first three innings.

Alabama will play will play the loser of tonight’s UCLA/Arizona game on Saturday.

Notes
• Alabama is now 0-5 in the first round of the Women’s College World Series.
• Brittany Rogers singled to third base to lead off the game to extend her hitting streak to 16 games.
• Left fielder Jordan Praytor saved two runs for UA hurler Kelsi Dunne in the third inning by pulling back a sure home run by Krista Donnenwirth to end the inning.  
• Charlotte Morgan’s RBI double in the fifth inning was her 76th of the year, one shy of Kristi Durant’s SEC record of 77 in 2005.
• Kelsi Dunne walked a career-high eight – three intentional.
• Dunne also recorded her 10th double-digit strikeout game of the season with 13.
(From UA)