The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Lipscomb
Softball Sweeps Doubleheader From Lipscomb
4/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 22, 2002
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - UAB (33-17) swept a doubleheader from Lipscomb (24-26), winning game one 10-0 and taking game two 9-0, in softball action at the Lady Bisons Softball Complex.
UAB took the lead in the top of the second inning in game one. Second baseman Beth Mullins scored on designated player Kris Lara's sacrifice fly to center field. Third baseman Aimee Vaughn then scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by right fielder Kristin Stanfill. UAB led 2-0.
The Blazers exploded for five runs in the top of the fourth inning. Shortstop Candice Hithe singled in Lara and Stanfill to start off the scoring in the inning. Left fielder Sara Christophel then singled in catcher Amanda Ellis. Cliffanie Engram closed out the scoring for the Blazers in the inning with a two-run blast over the left field fence. UAB led 7-0.
UAB added three more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Hithe posted her third RBI of the game, as she singled in Stanfill. Hithe later scored from third base on a throwing error by catcher Ashley Denton. Later in the inning, Christophel scored from third base on a wild pitch by Hillary Gipson.
Blazer pitcher Megan Stephenson retired the Lady Bisons in order in the bottom of the sixth inning, and the game was called due to NCAA Division I softball's "eight-run rule."
Stephenson (12-8) threw the complete game one-hit shutout for UAB. She worked six innings and had five strikeouts and no walks. Stephenson retired 11 straight batters before giving up a single in the bottom of the fourth inning. It marked her seventh complete game shutout of the season.
Carissa Lowery (9-6) pitched three and two-thirds innings and took the loss for Lipscomb. She gave up seven runs on 10 hits and walked two. Hillary Gipson worked two and one-thirds innings in relief of Lowery and allowed three runs, none earned, on one hit. She walked two and struck out three.
In game two, UAB jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Christophel doubled to right center field, scoring Hithe, to get things started for the Blazers. Christophel later scored on a fielding error by shortstop Kristin Peck. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Stanfill grounded out to third base, allowing Engram to score from third.
Second baseman Beth Mullins put UAB up 5-0 in the top of the fifth inning on her two-RBI single to center field that scored Hithe and Christophel.
UAB added four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Mullins got her fourth RBI of the game, as she doubled to right center field, scoring Christophel and Engram. With Mullins on second, Stanfill reached third on an error by center fielder Brandy Roberts that allowed Mullins to score. Vaughn then singled to right field, scoring Stanfill.
Kerri Foster (12-6) threw her sixth complete game shutout of the season for UAB. She allowed five hits, no walks and had five strikeouts through seven innings of work.
Danielle Catalano (6-6) worked six innings and took the loss for Lipscomb. She gave up eight runs, five earned, on 11 hits. Gipson worked one inning in relief of Catalano and allowed one run, unearned, on one hit.
UAB out-hit Lipscomb 23-6 on the day.
The Blazers return to George Ward Park Field No. 6 Saturday, as the team takes on Conference USA rival Houston in a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m.
