MEMPHIS—Christian Brothers University sophomore shortstop
Alana Kramer (Jackson, Tenn., North Side HS) belted a pair of two-run homers in the second game of Thursday afternoon's home-opening doubleheader against Union, helping the Lady Bucs win the second game 5-4 after a 2-0 loss in the opener.
Kramer started the scoring early in the second game, smashing a two-run bomb to left-center with two outs after
Jessica Ambers (Collierville, Tenn./Collierville HS) had reached on an error. In the third inning,
Alyse Brewer (Florence, Ala./Florence HS) led off with a walk, and Kramer crushed another homer to nearly the same spot in left-center. After Union (1-1) changed pitchers,
Lauren Dorsett (Mufreesboro, Tenn./Blackman HS) blasted the second pitch for another home run, giving the Lady Bucs (1-3) a commanding 5-0 lead.
The Bulldogs scored a run in the fourth, two in the fifth, and another run in the sixth to cut the lead to one, but
Kaylea Brewer (Pulaski, Tenn./Giles County HS) buckled down and struck out Union first baseman Stephanie Saunders, leaving the bases loaded just an inning after Saunders had hit a two-run homer.
Kramer went 3-for-3 with two runs and four RBI in the game, while Ambers and
Brooke Davis (Southaven, Miss./Southaven HS) collected two hits each.
In the opener, UU pitcher Brooke Thomas provided her own offense with a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the seventh, spoiling another strong outing from freshman
Michelle McEachron (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon HS). McEachron (0-2) went the distance, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks as she struck out six. Thomas allowed just three hits and two walks as she tossed a shutout.
Kathleen Nelson (Bartlett, Tenn./Bolton HS),
Casey King (Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound HS), and Ambers each had a single in the first game.
The Lady Bucs hit the road Sunday as they take on Millsaps in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. They come home next Saturday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m. to face Bethel in a doubleheader.