The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Northern Iowa
Northern Iowa Beats Blazers, 11-2
2/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 21, 2009
Northern Iowa 11, UAB 2 - Box Score ∙ UAB vs. LSU Gametracker
BATON ROUGE, La. - On the second day of the Purple and Gold Challenge in Baton Rouge, La., the UAB softball team dropped its first game of the day to Northern Iowa, 11-2, in five innings.
"I'm disappointed," said UAB softball head coach Marla Townsend. "There was a lack of competitiveness. There was no spark and no life out there today."
Northern Iowa jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second. The Panthers' Megan Machovec and Jen Larsen both had RBI singles and Mackenzie Daigh`s base hit scored pinch runner Leah Embery.
The Panthers went on to score one run in third, two more in the fourth and take an 8-0 lead before UAB was able to get on the board. Sophomore Caley Walden and junior Martina Landrum were able to score after a single to centerfield by senior Andrea Rogers in the bottom of the fifth. But the Blazers were unable to mount a rally and ended the inning 8-2.
Northern Iowa closed the game out in the bottom of the fifth after scoring three runs. Two runs scored on a double by Rachel Gerking.
"We put the ball in play better," Townsend said, "but we have to continue to focus on our game. Everyone had an opportunity to step up today and no one took over."
The Blazers struggled at the plate, mustering two hits and leaving six on base. Sophomore Amanda Allen and Rogers recorded a hit apiece.
Northern Iowa's Melissa Tillet picked up her second win on the season in four innings of work and only allowed one hit. Machovec lead the Panthers at the plate going three-for-three with two RBI.
The Blazers (2-5, 0-0 Conference USA) wrap up day two of the Purple and Gold Challenge at 4:15 p.m. CT as they take on the Tigers of LSU (7-4, 0-0 Southeastern).
