The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
UCF
UAB Splits Doubleheader With UCF
3/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 14, 2009
UCF 7, UAB 0 • UAB 7, UCF 4
ORLANDO, Fla. - Senior Kayla Harris hit her first homerun on the season to help lift the UAB softball team (10-13, 3-2 C-USA) over UCF (15-15, 1-4 C-USA), 7-4¸ in the second game of a doubleheader here on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers fell to the Knights in the first game, 7-0.
"Anytime you can win on the road and set yourself up to win the series, it's huge," said UAB head coach Marla Townsend. "Our bats came through for us this afternoon."
Harris' homerun was the Green and Gold's second on the day. The first came with UAB down, 3-2. Sophomore Amanda Allen hit a two-run shot to left centerfield, scoring freshman Catherine Douglass and putting the Blazers up, 4-3, in the top of the third. It was Allen's fifth homerun on the season and seventh of her career.
In the fifth inning, after senior Andrea Rogers reached base on a double to right field and Allen was intentionally walked, Harris tacked on three more runs with a homerun to right field to put UAB up, 7-3. It was the senior's first game in the starting lineup since returning from offseason surgery. The homerun was her tenth of her career.
In the win, Harris went 2-for-3 with four RBI. Allen also proved productive at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI. Six other Blazers recorded one hit during the game.
Amber Torres (4-1) picked up the win after pitching a complete game. Torres allowed 11 hits, four runs and walked two in the outing.
In the first game, UCF was able to hold UAB to two hits and pick up their first Conference USA win of the season, 7-0. The Knights were able to scatter 12 hits on the afternoon.
"We showed how young we still are," said Townsend. "But we will put it behind us and set our sights on tomorrow's game."
UCF jumped out to early 2-0 lead after scoring one run in the first and one more run in the second off of a solo homerun by Abby McClain.
In the fifth inning the Knights were able to post five runs on five hits and a costly fielding error by the Blazers.
UAB struggled at the plate as Douglass and Allen registered one hit each for the Blazers' only hits.
Lindsey Croft (4-9) picked up the loss after allowing 10 hits and walking three in five innings pitched.
Ashleigh Cole recorded her ninth win on the season. In seven innings pitched, Cole struck out six and allowed no walks.
UAB and UCF will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday with a single game scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m. CT.
