The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
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UTEP
UAB Softball Sweeps UTEP In Conference Doubleheader
3/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 24, 2007
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB softball team improved its record to 21-16 overall and 4-3 in the league after winning both games during Saturday's Conference USA doubleheader with UTEP at George Ward Park. The Blazers defeated the Miners by a count of 4-2 in game one, followed by a 5-3 UAB win in the second contest of the day.
One of the many highlights of the day for UAB was senior Lindsay Stanley. Stanley stole one base in each of Saturday's two games to break the UAB career record for stolen bases at 91. The previous record, 90, was set by Candice Hithe, who played for the Blazers from 2000-03.
Game one featured UAB ace Jennifer Nelson in the circle, versus UTEP right-hander Stacie Townsend. Both hurlers blanked the opposing team throughout four innings, before the Miners struck first with two unearned runs in the top of the fifth off of a Blazer error.
The Blazers answered quickly by scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the 4-2 lead over UTEP. UAB had the bases loaded with just one out for sophomore Andrea Rogers, who hit a double to bring in two runs, while the third run scored on the throw. Nicole Tumlin followed that with a single to left field to drive in Rogers for the Blazers' fourth run of the inning.
Rogers led the Blazers with two hits during three at-bats, two RBI and one run scored. Stanley also recorded two hits at three plate appearances, including scoring one run towards UAB's effort.
Nelson held UTEP to just one hit in the final two innings of the game to ensure the Blazer win, 4-2. Nelson, who pitched a complete game, picked up her 14th win of the year by giving up just six hits against 32 batters faced, and striking out seven.
Townsend suffered her first loss of the season in the circle for UTEP, allowing four runs on seven hits, including three earned runs, and striking out five.
In the second meeting of the day, UAB put senior Brittany Hodge in the circle against junior Nichole Tunget for the Miners.
Both UAB and UTEP managed just one hit a piece through three complete innings. Unlike game one, the Blazers put the first run on the board in the bottom of the fourth when junior Amanda Antonovich scored off of a single to left field by Allison Davis to put UAB up, 1-0.
The Blazers continued their offensive attack by adding two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to give them a 3-0 lead over the Miners. With the bases loaded, sophomore Kayla Harris singled to center field and drive in a pair of runs for the Blazers.
UTEP got on the board in the top of the sixth inning when back-to-back singles by Simone Holland and Ashley Perez brought two runs to the plate for the Miners, making the score 3-2 in favor of the Blazers.
UAB extended its lead to three runs, 5-2, in the bottom of the sixth when Holly Krzan and Antonovich both hit singles to drive in one run each. The Miners came back with one run in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Kelly Lombard to bring home Ashley Ellis. The Miners' seventh-inning effort came up short as UAB got the 5-3 conference win and the doubleheader sweep.
Antonovich had a team-high two hits during game two, including one RBI and one run scored. Harris tallied one hit during two at-bats and drive in two runs for UAB.
Hodge (2-3) earned the win in the circle for UAB, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing two runs on three hits and tallying four strikeouts. Nelson, who relieved Hodge for the final 1.2 innings of the game, got her first save of the season by striking out four and allowing just one run on three hits.
The Blazers (21-16, 4-3) will conclude their weekend series with UTEP (21-12, 3-5) in a 1 p.m. contest on Sunday afternoon at George Ward Park.
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