The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Saint Louis*
UAB Softball Team Edges Saint Louis, 3-2 In Finale
4/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The UAB softball team utilized a formula of timely hitting and solid pitching to edge Saint Louis, 3-2, on Saturday at the Billiken Sports Center as the Blazers won their first Conference USA series this season.
The Blazers (17-25, 4-8 C-USA) improved to 16-3 all-time against SLU. The Billikens (11-17, 4-8 C-USA) lost for the fourth time in their last five games. Freshman Amanda Antonovich (4-7) was stellar in relief of starter Jennifer Nelson as the southpaw retired all 12 batters she faced. Antonovich worked four innings and struck out a pair.
SLU starter Lorena Floccari (7-10) was tagged with the loss as she allowed three runs, one earned, and four hits in seven innings of work. She walked one and struck out one. Nelson went the first three innings and allowed two unearned runs and three hits. She walked one and struck out four.
The Blazers wasted little time in taking the lead as center fielder Sara Christophel ripped a one-out double to the gap in left-center field in the top of the first inning to score Lindsay Stanley, who walked to lead off the game and was sacrificed to second by Chelsea McCall.
Saint Louis took the lead in the bottom half of the third inning after a series of wild plays. Logan Justice ripped a hard ground ball off of Carrie Christophel's leg at third base which bounced away into shallow left field, bringing home a pair of runs to give the Billikens a 2-1 lead. AshLeigh Williams tried to score as well, but she was thrown at out the plate as five UAB players touched the ball to complete the put out.
UAB responded immediately in the top of the fourth as Carrie Christophel came through with a two-out two-run double to give the Blazers a 3-2 lead. The Blazers had an opportunity to pick up an insurance run in the top of the seventh, but Kris Lara was tagged out between third base and home plate after Nicole Whitlock guided a single into left field.
Lara singled to begin the inning and Carrie Christophel moved Lara to second with a perfect sacrifice. Whitlock then singled and started toward second base, attempting to force a throw and possibly allow Lara to sneak home, but the plan did not prove successful.
The Blazers will face Alabama A&M on Tuesday in Huntsville, Ala. at 4 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader. UAB swept the Bulldogs in a doubleheader on Feb. 15 in Birmingham.
UAB (17-25, 4-8 C-USA) at Saint Louis (11-17, 4-8 C-USA), 3-2
UAB 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 - 3 4 1
SLU 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 - 2 3 1
WP: UAB, Amanda Antonovich 4-7; LP: UAB, Lorena Floccari, 7-10
Save: None
