The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Softball Continues C-USA Play With Series Against Southern Miss
4/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 2, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The UAB softball team is set to challenge the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in a three-game series this weekend as the Blazers travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to continue Conference USA play with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
UAB (16-20, 3-6) and Southern Miss (18-18, 6-3) will conclude the three-game set on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m., at the USM Softball Complex.
"This is going to be a big series for us and we always look forward to playing Southern Miss on the road," said UAB head coach Marla Townsend. "They have a really strong fan base and it's very exciting to compete in that type of environment. We have a really good rivalry with them and it should be a great series."
UAB heads into this weekend's competition looking to earn its first C-USA road victory of the season.
The Blazers are 0-3 on the road against conference opponents this year and were swept in their only C-USA series held away from home. In Greenville, N.C., UAB dropped hard-fought contests of 6-3, 5-2 and 2-1 against the East Carolina Pirates. The sweep marked the first time that the Blazers were held winless in a series since a three-game set versus Houston last season.
UAB has not played a game since a 5-0 loss against Louisville on Sunday and the time off from competition should help the team recover from some nagging injuries.
The Blazers' pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries this season as all three of the team's pitchers have been forced to miss some game action. With the extra time off this week, UAB's Erica Mascarenas, Tara Higashino and Brittany Hodge should all be ready to contribute in the circle.
Higashino, UAB's senior pitcher from Elk Grove, Calif., has tallied 119 innings this season and has accumulated an 8-11 record. At one point, she started eight-consecutive games for the Blazers and picked up crucial victories over the College of Charleston and Bowling Green.
"We were able to get some much-needed rest this week," Townsend said. "We were able to rest up a bit and our pitching staff took a little time off to heal. I think that we are rejuvenated right now and we're ready to compete in this big conference series."
Southern Miss, the fourth-place team in the conference, swept Houston in a three-game series last weekend and outscored the Cougars by a lopsided margin of 26-3. Houston was C-USA's first-place team prior to the series held at the Cougar Softball Complex.
On Wednesday, the Golden Eagles traveled to Hammond, La., for a non-conference game against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions and were defeated by a score of 3-1. With the loss, Southern Miss snapped its four-game winning streak and dropped to a 3-10 record away from home.
"In this rivalry, it all comes down to who's going to make the key plays and get the clutch hits," said Townsend. "We are going to have to take advantage of their mistakes and they are playing some good softball right now. They swept Houston last week on the road and Houston is a very talented team. We just need to go down there and come away with some victories."
Southern Miss holds a 10-4 advantage in its all-time series against the Blazers.
UAB and Southern Miss met for the first time during the 2000 season and the Golden Eagles recorded a three-game series sweep in Hattiesburg, Miss. In 2001, UAB earned its first victory over the Golden Eagles as the Blazers rallied for a 4-2 win at George Ward Park.
During the 2002 campaign, Southern Miss swept UAB during the regular season, but the Blazers earned their revenge at the C-USA Championships as they knocked the Golden Eagles out of the double-elimination tournament. Last season, Southern Miss took two out of the three games played here in Birmingham, Ala.
The UAB softball team will attempt to make some major strides in the 2004 C-USA standings this weekend as the Blazers square off against the fourth-place Southern Miss Golden Eagles in a three-game series beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
