May 28, 2000
STANFORD, CA - Alabama scored seven runs in the first two innings and held on to beat Stanford 14-9 in today's first game. The Crimson Tide's win forces a second game that begins at 5:15 pm (PDT).
The first four Alabama batters reached base as the Crimson Tide plated three runs on three hits in the first inning. In the second frame, Jeremy Brown hit a two-out grand slam. The slam was the third by Alabama in this year's regional.
Alabama would eventually run out to a 10-2 lead after four innings, however, a seven-run seventh got the Cardinal to within a run. In that inning, Stanford had five singles and was the recipient of three walks, but could not manage to push across the tying run.
The Crimson Tide eventually put the game away with a four-run ninth inning. A two-out double by Aaron Clark scored two runs and then an error by Stanford allowed two more runs to score. Alabama's leading hitter was Brent Boyd, who had three hits, while Brown and Sam Bozanich had two hits each.
R H E Alabama 340 300 004 - 14 10 0 Stanford 002 000 700 - 9 9 1
Batteries: Alabama - Gingrich, Carroll (7), Rainwater (7), Murphy (7) and Gulledge, Stanford - Cunningham, Gosling (2), Wodnicki (4) and Alvarado, Tirpack (9)
WP - Gingrich (4-1)
LP - Cunningham (5-2)
SV - Murphy (2)
2B - Boyd, Brown, Clark (ALA), Bruntlett (STAN)
HR - Boyd, Bozanich Brown (ALA)
TOG: 3:30
Attendance: 2,610
Updated Records: Alabama 40-23, Stanford 44-13
Next Game: Teams will play a second game for championship