The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Mississippi Valley State
Miscues Cost Blazers In Loss To Devilettes
4/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 3, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The UAB softball surrendered a late lead Thursday night as Mississippi Valley State rallied in the closing innings for a 2-1 win at George Ward Park.
The Blazers were hurt by two costly errors in the sixth inning that keep the door opening for the Devilettes to score the tying run.
UAB falls to 18-24 overall and has a one-day turnaround before hosting Tulsa in a three-game Conference USA series beginning Saturday. Mississippi Valley State improves to 15-18.
Kayla Harris pitched effortlessly in the loss giving up just two hits over six innings and striking out nine.
The Devilettes split the season-series with the Blazers, who won 5-2 in Itta Bena, Miss. to start the season. An error in that game allowed UAB to rally for the win.
Harris (8-9) had her second strong outing of the week for UAB. She gave up hits in the second and fourth innings and kept the ball in the infield recording five ground ball outs.
Four of the Blazers' six hits came in run-scoring fourth inning. Harris started the inning off with a single up the middle and came around to score on Laura Callaway's single to center, giving UAB the 1-0 edge.
Harris then continued to cruise and look on her way to the ninth victory of the season, before two UAB errors gave the Devilettes two second chances in the sixth inning.
The Devilettes scored the tying run on errors by Holly Krzan and Mary Kendall Butler that would have both been the third out of the inning.
Krzan's throwing error put the tying-run on first who later came to score when Butler dropped a fly ball in shallow center.
Mississippi Valley took the lead in the seventh with the lead-off hitter reaching base on a pass ball after a Jennifer Nelson strikeout. She moved to second on a single, third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly by Shaina Mitchell.
Nelson (10-16), who came into start the seventh inning, took the loss. She struck out two and allowed one hit in the inning.
Brittany Franklin (7-6) was the winning pitcher for Mississippi Valley. She walked four, struck out one and allowed six hits over seven innings.
UAB had an opportunity to score in the seventh when Stevie Bennett singled thru the left side and moved to second on a wild pitch. A fielder's choice and ground out to the pitcher would put the game in the books.
The Blazers start their three-game series against Tulsa with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. The series finale is set for a 1 p.m. start Sunday.
