TUSCALOOSA, Ala. _ Caroline Mason’s two-out ground ball single down the left field line scored Mollie Mitchell with the game-winning run in the ninth inning in a 7-6 extra inning win over UAB Saturday night.
It was the second game of the day for both teams. The Lady Bisons had lost 5-2 to Alabama to open a blistering hot day at the Alabama Softball Complex in the second day of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional. UAB beat Alcorn State 9-0 in six innings to eliminate the Lady Braves from the regional. They had approximately 30 minutes to get ready to face the Lady Bisons.
The Lady Bisons raised their record to 50-12, a new all-time program high for wins in a season. The old mark of 49 was set in the NAIA era in 1997.
It was only the third extra innings game of the season for the Lady Bisons. The Lady Bisons are unbeaten in extra innings games.
The Lady Bisons will have a rematch with top-seed Alabama Sunday at 1:30. If the Lady Bisons win that game the two teams will meet again at 4 with the winner advancing to a Super Regional.
Friday night the Lady Bisons beat UAB 4-1 to open the regional. The Lady Bisons are 3-1 against the Blazers this season. In the first inning the Lady Bisons scored one run. Courtney Billington singled to left field to bring home Kellie Sirus who had reached base on a two-out double that bounce off the lower left field wall.
In the third the Lady Bisons struck for four runs. Lauren Dortwegt opened with a single up the middle. She scored when Sirus slammed her second double of the game off the wall in left center. Billington drove in her second run of the game when she singled through the right side.
Mollie Mitchell blasted a two-run homer to center field to close out the scoring in the inning.
Kiihnl, 33-4, lost her bid for a shutout in the top of the fifth when Kayla Orr hit a home run to center field. It was the second game in a row Orr had homered off of Kiihnl.
The Lady Bisons also avoided a UAB rally as Kiihnl pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth.
In the seventh the Blazers opened up their game. After Kiihnl walked the lead-off batter and then gave up a single to the next batter she faced Lipscomb coach Kristin Ryman sent Alaina Jacobson to the mound in relief.
Jacobson walked the first batter she faced to load the bases. UAB lead-off hitter Martina Landrum singled to right field to drive in the first of five runs in the inning.
Caley Walden was hit by a pitch to bring home Hailey Glynn. Cameron Skate hit a sac fly to center that brought SallieVan Kirk home. Mandy Lowman singled to left field to score Landrum with the tying run.
Kiihnl re-entered the game and struck out the first batter she faced. Issa Brown reached on a throwing error by Sirus that allowed Walden to score with the go-ahead run. Catherine Douglas hit a sharp grounder to first that Sirus fielded for the final out. In the bottom of the seventh Mackenzie Tucker reached base on an error by UAB’s second baseman. She moved to second on a sac bunt by Sirus. Tucker scored the tying run on a single up the middle by Billington.
Campbell got to first base on an error by UAB’s shortstop. Billington moved to second on the play. Mitchell struck out swinging. Keese grounded out to the third baseman.
Kiihnl was back on the mound to start the eighth. She retired the side with her ninth strikeout of the game and two put outs to first.
The Lady Bisons had runners on first and second in the bottom of the eighth with one out, but could not score.
After allowing an infield single to open the top of the ninth Kiihnl retired the next three batters.