The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Virginia Tech
UAB Softball Splits On Opening Day
2/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 13, 2007
ATLANTA - The UAB softball team opened the season with a bang, knocking off the Virginia Tech Hokies in 5-1 in its season opener at the Georgia State First Pitch Classic. Jennifer Nelson dominated the Hokies, allowing just three hits and one run through seven innings. Nelson (1-0) struckout nine and picked up her first win of the season. The Blazers didn't fare so well in game two, as the Georgia State Panthers took a 10-2 win, leaving UAB at 1-1 after opening day.
In game one, the Blazers got the offense rolling in the second inning when Leigh Walker slapped a single with two outs. Walker stole second and later scored on an Allison Davis single to give UAB a 1-0 lead. UAB added three more to its lead in the fifth. Andrea Rogers walked and moved to second on an error by the Hokies' third baseman. With two on and one out, Amanda Antonovich smacked a double to plate one runner. Kayla Harris knocked in another run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield and Walker added an RBI single. Nicole Tumlin made it 5-0 in the sixth when she plated Davis with a single. Nelson shutout Virginia Tech through six before the Hokies mustered a run in the top of the seventh. The 5-1 victory marked the sixth consecutive year that the Blazers have won their season opener.
It was Georgia State who dominated the second game against UAB. The Panthers jumped out to a 1-0 lead when third baseman Allison Bradford homered to centerfield. Bradford got the Panthers offense going again in the fourth with a lead-off double. After three more consecutive hits, Georgia State held a 4-0 lead. The Blazers battled back in the top of the fifth when Walker led off the inning with a single. Nelson and Krzan each knocked an RBI single to cut the Panthers' lead to 4-2. But the Panthers blew the game open in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four more runs. With two on, Bradford continued to cause problems for the Blazers with an RBI double. Jackie Jaegle followed with a three-run blast to put the Panthers on top 8-2. Jaegle delivered again in the sixth with a game-ending triple that iced the 10-2 victory for the Panthers.
The Blazers' pitching staff struggled through the second game, giving up 11 hits and issuing six walks. Harris (0-1) tossed three innings, allowing four hits and four runs, while Antonovich pitched one and Brittany Hodge finished off the game with one and two-thirds.
UAB looks to bounce back after the loss, taking on the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Sunday morning. First pitch is slated for 10:00 a.m. (EST). Following the first game, UAB will play in either the consolation or championship of the tournament.
