The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
East Carolina
East Carolina Edges Out UAB, 3-2
4/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 7, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Down by one run with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, the UAB softball team failed to capitalize on the opportunity and fell 3-2 to the East Carolina Pirates (29-14, 7-5 C-USA) in the series finale at George Ward Park. The Blazers drop to 26-20 overall and 7-7 in Conference USA play.
Despite the loss, centerfielder Lindsay Stanley knocked a base-hit for the 11th consecutive game, UAB's longest hitting streak of the season.
Blazer pitcher Jennifer Nelson (17-9) picked up the loss, giving up three earned runs while striking out six in seven innings of work.
Pirate pitcher Toni Paisley (12-4) earned the win, going four and one-third innings while giving up two earned runs and striking out seven. Keli Harrell got her second save of the season for the Pirates, tossing five strikeouts through two and two-thirds innings.
The two starting pitchers matched each other's performance through the first four, giving up no runs and just two hits apiece.
ECU got on the board first with three runs in the top of the fifth. After a leadoff double, rightfielder Charina Sumner homered to right, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead. A pair of singles and a Blazer error allowed another run to cross to put ECU on top by three.
UAB battled back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring a pair of runs to cut ECU's lead to one. After Nelson led off the inning with a single, she moved to second on rightfielder Allison Davis' sacrifice bunt. Stanley looped a single down the leftfield line then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Shortstop Holly Krzan drew a walk to load the bases and catcher Andrea Rogers took four balls to force in a run. With the bases still full of Blazers, third baseman Nicole Tumlin took a pitch in the side to plate another run.
Still down by a run in the bottom of the seventh, Krzan drew her second walk to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Tumlin laid down a bunt but beat out the throw to put runners at first and second. Second baseman Leigh Walker grounded to the pitcher and she threw to third for the out, leaving the Blazers with two out and runners at first and second. After a passed ball advanced both runners, the Pirates intentionally walked first baseman Amanda Antonovich to load the bases. But UAB's threat ended with a routine grounder back to the pitcher for the final out of the game.
The loss marks the fifth time this season that the Blazers have been edged out by just one run.
UAB will take the week off before resuming conference play in Orlando, Fla. The Blazers will take on the Central Florida Golden Knights in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12:00 p.m. (CT) and round out the series on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (CT).
