The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Hosts East Carolina In Key Conference Series
4/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 5, 2007
ECU Game Notes
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB softball team will take on the East Carolina Pirates for a three-game Conference USA series this weekend at George Ward Park. The two teams will meet for a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 5:00 p.m. with the second game immediately following the first. They finish the series on Saturday at noon.
The Blazers (24-19, 5-6 C-USA) are looking to rebound after being swept last weekend by the conference-leading Houston Cougars. Before dropping three consecutive games to the Cougars, UAB had a five-game winning streak, including a sweep of C-USA opponent UTEP two weeks ago in Birmingham.
East Carolina (28-12, 6-3 C-USA) won two out of three over Tulsa last weekend to take the series and maintain second place in the C-USA standings. The Pirates have won four of their last six, including an extra-inning win at No. 24 N.C. State last week.
In 2006, UAB swept the three-game regular season series against ECU in Greenville, N.C., but the Pirates got the best of the Blazers in the conference tournament, handing UAB an 8-0 loss.
In the initial meeting between the two teams in 2002, UAB defeated ECU, 1-0, in Greenville. The Blazers won five in a row over the Pirates from 2002 to 2003, then the Pirates returned the favor, knocking off UAB five times in the 2004 season.
The Blazers are 1-2 against the Pirates in Birmingham and ECU is 1-2 on the road in conference play this season.
Overall, ECU has outscored UAB, 56-52.
Scouting East Carolina: Coming off a 40-24 season that ended in the second round of the Conference USA Tournament, East Carolina has continued its success into the 2007 season. Sophomore infielder Jessica Johnson leads the way for ECU, batting .400 with nine homeruns and 32 RBI. Freshman Charina Sumner is one to watch on the base-paths, as she leads the team with 12 stolen bases. Senior Keli Harrell and freshman Toni Paisley lead the Pirates in the circle. Earlier this season, Harrell became C-USA's all-time strikeout leader, with 906 strikeouts and counting. Currently, Harrell has a 1.77 ERA with 152 strikeouts and holds a 15-7 record. Paisley is 11-3 with a 1.58 ERA.
