The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
UCF
UAB Splits Doubleheader With UCF
4/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 14, 2007
Box Score | Box Score (Game Two)
ORLANDO, Fla. - Blazer pitcher Jennifer Nelson fanned 10 batters and allowed no earned runs en route to a 4-2 win over the UCF Golden Knights in game one at the UCF Softball Complex. UCF (31-18, 7-7 C-USA) bounced back with a 5-2 win over UAB (27-21, 8-8 C-USA) in game two to split the doubleheader.
Although the two teams combined for six runs in the first game, it was a pitcher's duel, as neither pitcher gave up an earned run through seven innings of work.
UCF jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, scoring a pair of runs on a double in the first inning of game one.
The Golden Knights continued to lead until the top of the fifth when the Blazers fought back with a two-out, five-run rally. Designated player Kayla Harris walked to lead off the inning. With two out and Harris still on first, centerfielder Lindsay Stanley knocked a grounder and reached on an error by the second baseman. After shortstop Holly Krzan walked to load the bases, catcher Andrea Rogers slapped a single to leftfield, driving in two runs to tie the game. Second baseman Leigh Walker continued the inning when she reached on an error by the shortstop. First baseman Amanda Antonovich followed with a single that rolled in between the third baseman and shortstop, allowing two more runs to cross the plate to put the Blazers up 4-2.
UCF threatened with two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, but Nelson (18-9) struck out the final batter to seal UAB's 4-2 victory.
In game two, it was the Blazers who took an early lead in the first inning. After Stanley reached on an error to open the game, she later scored on Antonovich's sacrifice fly to centerfield to make it 1-0.
The Knights responded with a run on a leadoff triple and RBI-single to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning.
UCF added two more runs in the third on three singles and a passed ball.
UAB cut the Knights' lead to one in the top of the fifth. Krzan legged out a double to leadoff the inning and later trotted home after third baseman Nicole Tumlin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 3-2.
UCF capped off the scoring in the sixth with another pair of runs to take the 5-2 win.
Harris (7-9) was tagged with the game-two loss, going two and one-third innings while giving up three runs on five hits and striking out three. Antonovich made her third appearance of the season in the circle, tossing three and two-thirds innings while allowing two runs on five hits and striking out four.
Stanley was able to extend her hitting streak to a season-high 12 games in the first game, but had it snapped in game two of the doubleheader.
The split decision marked the second time this season that the Blazers have split a conference doubleheader. The two teams will wrap up the series on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. (ET).
