CARROLLTON, GA â€" Brittaney Alderman’s latest pitching effort might have gone for naught, if not for the timely hitting of Lindsey Powell and Christine Clark â€" not to mention, timely hitting of her own. Alderman allowed only two hits, and RBI singles by Powell and Clark in the bottom of the sixth inning lifted Florida Southern to a 4-3 win over West Alabama at the Wolves Invitational.
Alderman had a no-hitter going through five innings, but found herself in a 1-0 hole after the Tigers (16-5) used a walk, stolen base and an error to score in the top of the third. Control problems (seven walks, a hit batter and two wild pitches) plagued her throughout the game, but she worked out of trouble enough times to keep Florida Southern in the game. She finished with six strikeouts, and Sunday’s game was the fifth time in nine starts this year Alderman allowed three hits or less.
Meanwhile, Florida Southern (9-9) had just one hit in the first four innings against West Alabama pitcher Katie Ford, who entered the game with a 12-0 record. Ford hit Peggy Alex in the bottom of the first and Heather Raulerson followed with a single, but those were the only Moccasin base runners until Erin Foley reached on a throwing error to start the fifth. That play seemed to ignite the Moccasins, who went on to score two runs in that inning, though West Alabama helped out with two errors.
With Foley at first, Clark was called upon to sacrifice and bunted the ball back toward the circle where Ford fielded it cleanly. Her throw to first, however, was in the dirt and bounced into foul territory, allowing Foley to circle the bases for the tying run. Clark took second on the play and scored on a two-out single by Bethany Boomer to give the Mocs a 2-1 lead.
Alderman started the top of the sixth by walking Valisha Fincher, but Clark made a huge defensive play to knock her off the bases. When Jessica Powell attempted to sacrifice, Clark came down the line from first, made a lunging catch on a line drive bunt, and threw to Alex covering the bag for a double play. It took on even greater significance when Lauren Mills homered immediately thereafter, tying the score at two with the Tigers’ first hit of the game.
West Alabama went to the bullpen to start the bottom of the sixth, with Jessica Cervantes replacing Ford, though Ford had allowed only two hits with eight strikeouts and no walks. Cervantes got the first two batters before Alderman kept the inning alive with a double into the leftfield corner. Powell then smashed a ground ball down the first base line that bounced by Anna Shartzer, and Alderman scored to give the Mocs a 3-2 lead.
Foley then singled pinch-runner Brandy Pikus to second, bringing Clark to the plate for the second inning in a row. The sophomore pitcher/first baseman hit a bouncing ground ball up the middle that was under the glove of Cervantes, and between the middle infielders for an RBI single that scored Pikus.
West Alabama did not go quietly in the top of the seventh, even after Alderman got the first out of the inning with no trouble. Walks to Shartzer and Kelli Hartley sandwiched around a base hit by Stephanie Beahn loaded the bases for Fincher in the cleanup position. Alderman struck her out on a nasty pitch to temporarily halt the Tigers, but Jessica Powell drew a full-count walk to force in Shartzer and get them within one run. That gave Mills a chance to hit again, just one inning after taking Alderman over the centerfield fence. This time Alderman won the battle, with Mills hitting a bouncer up the middle that was fielded by shortstop Dezirae Parsons, who stepped on the bag at second for the final out.
Florida Southern will finish the Wolves Invitational later today with a game against host West Georgia.
