In the second semi-final game of the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament, UH could not find a way to beat No.7 Alabama. Down by one run in the bottom of the seventh, UH had the bases loaded, no outs. Enter freshman fireballer Chrissy Owens who came in relief and snuffed the rally out--striking the next three batters out. UH falls to 10-9 on the season and Alabama will go on to the Championship game.
The home team Hawai`i struck first in the bottom of the opening frame. Tara Harbert pushed a bunt single and Tyleen Tausaga knocked in her seventh run of the tournament when she slammed a double to left field to score Harbert.
But Alabama responded in the bottom of the inning when Leah White drove in Dominique Accetturo on a hit to right field, knotting the game at 1-1. The Crimson Tide added to their lead in the third with back-to-back home runs. Capper Reed hit her third home run of the tournament to right field, and Accetturro blasted her homer down the left field line.
Hawai`i battled back in the fifth inning, tying the score at 3-3. With two runners on and two outs, Denise Dahlberg hit a clutch line-shot right up the middle to score Tracie Uchima and Harbert from second and third, respectively.
But Alabama would not back down. In the top of the seventh, they added their final run when Reed hit a single to left that drove in Ashley Courtney who had also reached on a single to left earlier in the inning.
Hawai`i mounted it final rally in the bottom of the seventh. The first three batters of the inning all reached base safely, leaving the bases loaded and no outs. But Alabama coach Patrick Ramsey called on his relief pitcher Owens who promptly shut down Hawai`i's offense with three consecutive strike-out swingings.
Crimson Tide ace Stephanie VanBrakle went six innings, giving up nine hits, while walking three, and striking out three en route to picking up the win. Owens got her third save of the season. For Hawai`i, Shannon Tabion got the start, but Jessica Morton took the lose. She had thrown three shut-out innings before giving up the winning, unearned run in the top of the seventh.
Game statistics
2005 Pepsi-Cola Malihini Kipa Aloha All-Tournament Team
Pitcher: Kristina Thorson, California
Catcher: Ashley Courtney, Alabama
Infield: Dominique Acceturro, Alabama
Infield: Noelle Izumi, Hawai`i
Infield: Staci Ramsey, Alabama
Infield: Tyleen Tausaga, Hawai`i
Outfield: Lindsay James, California
Outfield: Capper Reed, Alabama
Outfield: Kaulana Gould, Hawai`i
At-Large: Kaleo Eldredge, California
Most Valuable Player: Haley Woods, California
*as voted by the coaches participating in the tournament
Tournament Stats
Tournament Stats
Tournament Stats
Tournament Stats
In other games...
Delaware State 7, Mount St. Mary's 6
In the first game of championship bracket play, the Hornets (7-9) downed the Mountaineers (1-5). Delaware State led as much as 5-0 until the bottom of the fourth, when MSM started to chip away scoring three. But Delaware State extended its lead, adding single runs in the fifth and sixth.
But in the sixth, the Mountaineers battled back, scoring three runs on three hits, two walks and a fielder's choice. The inning was highlighted by a double that hit the centerfield wall on the fly by Danyale Goode. But MSM one run short of completing the comeback.
In the offensive battle, both teams had 13 hits, but the difference was two Mount St. Mary's errors. Both teams also had several players with multiple-hits. Four Mountaineers had two hits, Sarah Ramsburg, Lisa Worden, Shalise Tolentino, Mary Dillon, and Katy Houseman. Ramsburg also scored two runs and knocked two runs in. Housman added two runs scored as well.
For Delaware State, Kathryn Powell led the Hornets with three hits. Marissa Merrill and Jessica Murray both added two hits a piece.
With the win, Delaware State moves on to face No. 2 California in the first semi-final game of the day at 1 p.m.
Game statistics
No. 2 California 12, Delaware State 1
California's Kristina Thorson allowed only one run on two hits, while the Golden Bear offense erupted for nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings, as No. 2 California defeated Delaware State 12-1 in the first semifinal game of the tournament. Although one of the Hornets' two hits was a solo home run by Jessica Savage, Thorson handled the Delaware State line-up with relative ease, striking out ten and walking none.
California jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the first, as Kaleo Eldridge scored on a Savage wild pitch. The Golden Bears kept coming in the second, collecting four hits and plating two to make the margin 3-0. Though Savage's homer cut the Delaware State deficit to 3-1 entering the fifth, California quickly ended the Hornets' comeback hopes. The Golden Bears loaded the bases
Game statistics
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
California 7, Alabama 0
California got to Alabama pitching early and often, while Crimson Tide hitters could not solve the Golden Bears' Kelly Anderson, resulting in California winning decisively over Alabama, 7-0, in the championship game of the tournament. Offensively, California lashed out with seven hits off of Alabama starter Jennifer Wright in just over two innings, and a total of 10 for the game. That was all Anderson needed, as she tossed seven innings of one hit, seven strikeout ball to shut down an Alabama team that had averaged nearly nine runs a game during the tournament.
California pressured Alabama immediately, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Back-to-back hits by Kaleo Eldridge and Lindsay James in the second knocked in a total of three more runs, giving the Golden Bears a commanding 4-0 early advantage. Meanwhile, Alabama did not reach base until Anderson walked Jackie Wilkins to lead off the fourth inning, and, for the game, never had a baserunner past second base. By the time Alabama got its first hit, a single by Dominique Accetturo in the top of the fifth, California had a 6-0 lead and was coasting to the tournament championship. The Golden Bears posted at least one run in five of their six innings at bat.
Game statistics
