Dunne doesn't seem to have been rattled by the first inning, although she's clearly bemused by the lack of a strike zone.

Moultrie flies out to center, bringing up the leadoff batter, Paculba, who strikes out.

DeFelice draws a full-count walk on a pitch on the outside corner.

Gardiner reaches on an error -- Eubanks boots it, scoops it to Parker at second and she can't handle it. I'd charge it to Eubanks because her misplay made her do a glove-scoop and I'm not sure you can blame Parker if she doesn't know where the 'throw' is cominig.

Bruder strikes out swinging and Dunne escapes.

After two:

Alabama 2 2 1
Florida 5 1 1

Top of the third for UA:

Morgan hit by pitch.

Reilly-Boccia singles through the right side of the infield.

Holcombe pops up foul to third base.

Locke strikes out swinging -- and took the first called strike on the outside corner today.

Larsen with two on and two out: Strikes out swinging for out three.

Nelson hasn't given up a home run all year. If Alabama is going to get back into this game, it must keep the Gators from increasing their lead and find a way to manufacture a run somewhere to close the gap.

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy Deas:
Locke strikes out swinging -- and took the first called strike on the outside corner today.

It is so frustrating to see Dunne hit the outside corner twice before the grand slam and not get the call and then see Alabama get rung up on the same pitch.

Such is life.

Florida gets a single in the third, but the runner doesn't advance when the third out comes on batter interference when Holcombe tried to throw the runner out on a steal attempt.

Batter backed into Holcombe's throwing lane and she had to wrist it, so it double-hopped to second.

In this case, very good call by Stears behind the plate.

And the strike zone is loosening up just a bit both ways. At least the batters can't just take and revolve around the bases now.

Eubanks strikes out in the top of the fourth to bring up Montalvo.

Montalvo lines out to third for out two.

That brings up Rogers with two outs, which is not the situation you want if you're Alabama.

She slaps it back to the pitcher for out three.

Florida turning on the heat.

Paculba leadoff triple (should have been a double, but R-B fell down trying to keep it in front of her, allowing the extra base -- not a situation where you can charge an error).

DeFelice squeezes her home.

Enea hit by a pitch with two outs. Bruder doubles to left field, a gapper that goes to the wall to make it 7-2.

I don't see any way Alabama scores five runs in the final three at-bats, but I'm sure Alabama coaches would like to see some kind of rally just for momentum and pride purposes.

Parker goes down 1-5-3 on a sharply hit ball up the middle that Nelson knocks down for the third baseman to make the play.

Morgan, SEC Player of the Year, facing Nelson, SEC Pitcher of the Year.

And Morgan hits the first home run of the year off Nelson, an over-the-scoreboard shot.

Cuts it to Florida 7, Alabama 3.

R-B grounds out.

Holcombe walks.

Locke, SEC Freshman of the Year, simply overmatched. Goes down swinging on three pitches for out three.

Florida up 7-3 going into the bottom of the fifth.

I'm going to have to cut out on the play-by-play and start writing soon -- got to write a game story for our paper and another for the Gainesville Sun and it's a long drive home.

In the bottom of the fifth:

Bush walks. Hilberth lines out to short. Moultrie beats out a bunt single.

Paculba flies out to right for out two.

DeFelice is up, but Holcombe picks the pinch runner off second for out three.

After five:

Alabama 3 4 1
Florida 7 5 0

I'll give you updates on the big stuff from here on out, but I've got to start writing.

Everybody on press row lost Internet for a few minutes, so I caught up on my play-by-play.

Alabama got a leadoff walk in the top of the sixth but couldn't do anything with it.

For Florida in the bottom of the inning, leadoff DeFelice reached on an error by Eubanks (the earlier Alabama error was charged to Parker, by the way).

Pinch runner scores on an RBI single.

Alabama looking sloppy and losing concentration. A throw to second on a steal goes to the outfield -- no extra base gained, but Parker and Eubanks both backed off and neither fielded it.

In comes Amanda Locke with runners on first and second and one out. The mercy-rule run is at the plate.

Groundout to Montalvo for out two, runners now at second and third.

Grounder to Morgan at first base ends the inning.

Alabama has to get five runs in the top of the seventh or game over.

Alabama loaded the bases in the seventh and scored two runs.

Final: Florida 8-5.