The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Softball Begins Conference Play At Home Against Charlotte
3/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 8, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The UAB softball team, fresh off of its second-consecutive tournament championship, will begin its 2004 Conference USA schedule on Tuesday as the Blazers host the Charlotte 49ers in a crucial midweek doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. at George Ward Park.
"We're really looking forward to the start of conference play," said UAB head coach Marla Townsend. "Everything that we've done this season has gotten us prepared for this week and we're looking forward to getting it started against Charlotte. Hopefully, we'll be able to continue our winning streak and keep up our level of play."
UAB (8-9) heads into Tuesday's competition in the midst of a six-game winning streak. On Feb. 28, the Blazers defeated both Tulsa and Centenary to take the title of the 2004 Holiday Inn Select-Tulsa Festival and then rallied for four-consecutive victories over the weekend to capture their third straight Magic City Classic.
Since the Magic City Classic's inception in 2002, the Blazers have won all three championship titles and have compiled a stellar 11-1 overall record. UAB has never lost to Birmingham-Southern in Magic City Classic play and the Blazers' own a lopsided 5-1 mark against Samford.
Charlotte (4-4) comes to Birmingham on Tuesday after splitting a weekend doubleheader on the road versus the Elon Phoenix.
In the opening contest of the two-game set, Charlotte overcame an early 6-1 deficit to defeat the Phoenix, 8-7, but was then blanked in the second matchup, 7-0. With the loss, the 49ers snapped a four-game winning streak and were defeated for the first time since a 6-1 loss against North Carolina on Feb. 25.
"Charlotte is a much-improved team this season and we are definitely going to have to be ready to play," Townsend said. "Over the past few years, (Head) Coach (Aimee) DeVos has really been able to get some good athletes in there and they've done a great job with the program. They are just a scrappy team and they play really hard."
Last season, UAB swept the three-game series versus the 49ers held on the road at the Phillips Complex in Charlotte, N.C.
The Blazers earned 8-4 and 4-1 victories in the day-one doubleheader and then rallied for a 6-4 win in the series finale. With the sweep, UAB improved its all-time record against the 49ers to an impressive 12-1 mark. The Blazers' lone loss versus Charlotte in its four-year history was a 6-5 defeat on April 6, 2002, in Birmingham.
The UAB softball team will attempt to extend its winning streak versus Charlotte to six straight games on Tuesday as the Blazers square off against the 49ers in a twin bill held at George Ward Park Field No. 6 beginning at 5 p.m.
