The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Softball Team Rallies Past Cal-State Northridge, 6-5
3/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 1, 2003
LAS VEGAS ----- Senior Cliffanie Engram homered with none out in the final inning to lift the UAB softball team to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Cal-State Northridge here Saturday.
Engram, who also had a double and single in the game, drove home Kris Lara who had walked to open the seventh inning for the Blazers (10-6). UAB had trailed 5-3 after three innings and 5-4 going to the final stanza.
UAB was also aided by its defense, recording a triple play in the sixth inning after Northridge (8-9) had loaded the bases with no outs.
The game was the only one UAB managed to get in on the trip west. Rains washed out the Red Desert Classic which had been scheduled for the full weekend at St. George, Utah. When the tournament was cancelled, several of the participating teams, including UAB, decided to shift play to Las Vegas. The Blazers had hoped to play a late Saturday contest vs. Arkansas, but inclement weather forced cancellation of that game, too.
"We traveled a long way to get in one game," said UAB head coach Marla Townsend, "but the girls did a good job today under some tough conditions. We had hail, snow, a little of everything, but we were able to play through it and come from behind for a good win. Cliffanie had the hot bat and we decided to let her swing in the last inning rather than try to sacrifice."
UAB will next be in action March 8 when it opens play at the Magic City Tournament, hosted by Birmingham-Southern. The Blazers will play Samford and Birmingham-Southern next Friday in opening day action.
