Georgia stays alive with two victories
Associated Press
Sunday, May 31, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY --- Taylor Schlopy homered twice to help Georgia rally from an early three-run deficit for a 7-5 win against Michigan on Saturday night at the Women's College World Series.

Schlopy became only the fourth player in World Series history to homer twice in one game, and the sixth-seeded Bulldogs set a Series record with four home runs in a game.

Schlopy's three-run blast into the stands in left field put Georgia (46-11) on top 5-3 in the second inning, and Ashley Pauly and Brianna Hesson also homered.

Christie Hamilton (26-9) came on in relief and picked up her second win of the day despite having a series of illegal pitches called against her.

Roya St. Clair homered and drove in three runs to lead the Michigan (47-12) offense.

GAME 1: GEORGIA 5, MISSOURI 2

In Georgia's victory over Missouri, Kristyn Sandberg hit a two-run home run and Kristin Schnake added a two-run double.

Sandberg gave the sixth-seeded Bulldogs (45-11) a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning when she hit her eighth home run of the season with a line drive to center field. Schnake made it 5-0 an inning later as Georgia cashed in after Chelsea Thomas (16-7) issued a walk, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.

Georgia starter Christie Hamilton (25-9) gave up only a two-run single to Marla Schweisberger after a disputed call kept a rally going in the sixth inning for the Tigers (50-12).

ALABAMA 6, ARIZONA STATE 2

OKLAHOMA CITY --- Pinch-hitter Jazlyn Lunceford hit her first career grand slam to lift Alabama to a 6-2 win against defending champion Arizona State and knock the Sun Devils out of the Women's College World Series.

Coach Patrick Murphy made what ended up being a brilliant move, replacing four-time All-American Brittany Rogers with a freshman who didn't have a hit in over a month.

With two outs, Lunceford sent a 2-2 pitch from freshman Hillary Bach (31-11) onto the walkway at the front of the left-field stands to put the Crimson Tide ahead 4-2 in the fourth inning.

Alabama (54-10) gave starter Kelsi Dunne (28-4) some added cushion with a pair of unearned runs in the fifth, including one on a double steal.

Katie Crabb hit a two-run home run for Arizona State (47-19).

GAME 1: ALABAMA 14, ARIZONA 0

Alabama didn't feel like it even put up a fight in its first-round loss at the Women's College World Series.

So, against Arizona, the Crimson Tide kept swinging until the Wildcats had suffered the worst defeat in the history of the powerhouse program that has won eight national championships.

Alabama took on defending champion Arizona State in the late game Saturday.

The Crimson Tide (53-10) scored eight runs in the second inning and set records for the most runs scored in a World Series game and the most lopsided victory in the event's 27-year history. Arizona held the previous records with a 12-0 first-round win over Fresno State in 1989.

"A tough way to end the season. A tough day at the ballpark," Arizona coach Mike Candrea said. "To tell you the truth, we just didn't do anything real well."

Alabama had been on the short end of its most lopsided loss in six World Series appearances in its opening game -- although the five-run margin against Michigan seemed minuscule after what happened Saturday.

Arizona had the highest ERA in team history, but had been able to depend on the nation's highest-scoring offense. But the Wildcats went cold and got shut out for the second game in a row.

From the Sunday, May 31, 2009 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
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