Oct. 31, 2009

Final Stats

MEMPHIS - For a short time, the University of Memphis softball blue and gray scrimmage looked like the gray squad made up of sophomores and newcomers would pull out an upset over the veteran blue team on Saturday at the Tiger Softball Complex.

The gray team took a 2-0 lead and a perfect game into the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore Alyssa Palmieri broke up the perfect game with a bloop double on the left field line to lead off the inning, and junior Maddie McKinley hit the first of two home runs in the game, a three-run blast to left field.

The inning gave the veteran team all the momentum it would need to finish a back-and-forth battle and take the 9-8 victory despite a comeback attempt in the top of the seventh by the underclassmen.

The gray Tigers scored four runs in the top of the fifth to regain its lead at 6-4, but five more runs came across the plate for the blue team in the bottom of the inning to give the veterans a 9-6 advantage. The newcomers scored two runs in the top of the seventh to pull within one, but stranded the game tying run at third base.

Senior Vanessa Walle earned the victory for the blue squad, scattering eleven hits and striking out four. Freshman Carly Hummel suffered the loss for the gray team, pitching the final two innings in relief and allowing five runs on three hits with two strikeouts. Junior transfer Lauren Carley retired the first nine batters in order for the gray team to start the game and finished with four runs allowed on three hits and five strikeouts in four innings of work.

Five Memphis players had multi-hit performances in the scrimmage, led by McKinley's two homer, five RBI game. The third baseman finished with five home runs in fall play to lead the team.

Senior Leigh Rowan also went 2-for-3 for the blue team and had a bases clearing double in the fifth inning.

Junior transfer Keanah Prestridge led the gray team with a 2-for-4 performance with three RBI. Sophomores Jessica Phillips and Kamri Chester also had two hits for the gray team and freshman Shanna Brown knocked in two runs with a double in the fifth.

Four Memphis alumni took park in the day's activities. The blue team was coached by former all-conference third baseman Bridgette McNulty and the gray team was skippered by former catcher Lindsay Kelso. 2009 softball graduates Leila Dolfo and Lyndsey Sterling both played for the blue team and each scored a run in the game.

The scrimmage was followed with a two-hour free softball clinic put on by the Tiger players for children 12-and-under. The Memphis squad led the children in several drills followed by some Halloween fun and games.