Feb. 20, 2004

Box Score

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Depending on who you ask, seventh-ranked Alabama did not beat Northwestern 5-1 Friday morning in game one of the Palm Springs Classic. In fact, most would argue that the Wildcats beat themselves. Either way, the scoreboard read 5-1 in favor of the Crimson Tide and NU fell to 4-2 on the year.

Five errors crippled another solid performance on the mound by Courtnay Foster. Foster, who had not given up an earned run in 21 innings of work, dropped her first decision of the season.

Northwestern got on the board first when Eryn Manahan's line-drive double drove in Erin Mobley, who had doubled two batters prior, to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth inning. Normally a lead of any size is enough for Foster, but she found herself struggling to find the strike zone.

Her temporary control problems got her into trouble in the Crimson Tide half of the fourth. She walked the bases loaded with two outs and the Crimson Tide made her pay when Dominique Accetturo's soft liner went off the glove of second baseman Carri Leto and caromed into shallow right field. After fielding a late throw at the plate, catcher J.C. Kira attempted to throw out Staci Ramsey at second base, but her throw flew errantly into center field, scoring both runners and advancing Accetturo to third base, giving Alabama a 3-1 lead.

Northwestern went down in order in the top of the fifth inning, but the Crimson Tide did not go scoreless in their half of the fifth. Ashley Courtney led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second base when she collided with Leto on Leah White's ground ball up the middle, giving Alabama runners at first and second with no outs.

Jackie McClain reached base on an error by Eryn Manahan and NU faced bases loaded with none out. Capper Reed grounded out to short, but scored Courtney to expand the Alabama lead to 4-1. Ramsey added a sacrifice fly and Stanford jumped to a comfortable 5-1 lead heading into the sixth inning.

NU threatened in the top of the seventh when leadoff batter Kristen Amegin drew a walk and Ashley Crane singled to give the 'Cats runners on first and second with no outs. However, Wright retired the next three hitters and the Crimson Tide walked away with the 5-1 win.

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