Softball team eliminated from WCWS

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. | Kelsi Dunne only gave up two hits Sunday, but it was one too many.

The third-ranked University of Alabama softball team had just two hits, and it wasn’t enough.

The Crimson Tide’s run at the Women’s College World Series ended with a 3-1 loss to second-ranked Arizona State, with one swing of the bat making the difference in front of a crowd of 6,871 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

Alabama (58-8) started the eight-team national championship event with a loss and ended with a top-four finish, its best in five trips to the WCWS.

“I think this team will go down certainly as the best ever at Alabama,” head coach Patrick Murphy said. “I’m very proud of everybody involved.”

Alabama had to beat Arizona State twice to advance to the best-of-three national championship series after losing to the Sun Devils in an opener that was decided by a disputed call by an umpire.

This time there was no controversy.

The Tide took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Kellie Eubanks was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the inning, moved to second on Lauren Parker’s sacrifice bunt and reached third when Brittany Rogers hit into a fielder’s choice.

Eubanks scored on Jordan Praytor’s two-out slap single to left field.

Praytor had struggled against Arizona State’s lefty ace, Katie Burkhart. Murphy gave her some advice on adjusting her approach that paid off with the RBI hit.

“I felt like I had swung at strikes but I was just missing them,” Praytor said. “He told me to swing half a ball higher.”

The lead was short-lived.

Dunne hit Arizona State’s Kristen Miller to start the bottom of the third. Mandy Urfer flied out to left field and Rhiannon Baca hit into a fielder’s choice that put Miller out at second base.

With two outs, Dunne hit the Sun Devils’ dangerous Kaitlin Cochran, who had drawn intentional walks throughout the WCWS, with a pitch, putting runners on first and second. Left fielder Jackie Vasquez cashed in by bashing an inside riseball for a three-run home run over the right-field fence.

“It could have been a little more inside, obviously,” Dunne said.

The game settled into a pitcher’s duel the rest of the way. Arizona State got one more hit off of Dunne, while Alabama could not manage another hit off Burkhart.

“I do not think one run is enough,” Tide third baseman Kelley Montalvo said. “It is never enough.

“We always say we need to score first and keep scoring every inning. It wasn’t the home run that lost the game. We have to hit the ball. We were resilient, though, and we fought all weekend. I think that is why it hurts to finish like this.”

Burkhart (38-5) held Alabama to one run on two hits with two walks and nine strikeouts. Dunne (26-6) gave up two hits and walked one with six strikeouts.

“Burkhart was really good again,” Murphy said. “Both pitchers were really good. For a freshman to throw a two-hitter against the Pac-10 champions the second time around was a pretty good performance.”

Dunne held Cochran to 0-for-2 at the plate. Alabama intentionally walked her three times in the opening game and UCLA took the bat out of her hand every time she came up when the teams met in the second round.

“I’m glad I got to pitch to Cochran,” Dunne said. “She’s definitely a good hitter, but I didn’t really give her anything good to hit. I think that’s why she had some missed balls.”

Murphy changed his game plan for Sunday’s contest, electing to go after Cochran.

“A buddy of mine texted me and said, ‘Dude, it’s not Derek Jeter, come on,’” Murphy said. “And I thought, ‘He’s right.’ She is not hitting 1.000. She’s a good hitter, but Kelsi is a good pitcher.

“Looking back on Thursday night … should have pitched to her.”

Brittany Rogers had Alabama’s other hit, a single to lead off the game in the first inning. She was called out for leaving first base early on a hit-and-run.

Even falling short of the national title series, which starts Monday with Arizona State (59-7) playing the Florida-Texas A&M winner, Murphy was content with what his team accomplished.

“Getting this far validates what a good season we had,” he said. “I was so glad the nation got to see some of the talent we have because it is very good talent. We can play with some of the best in the country.”

Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0224.