The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Northwestern State
UAB Softball Defeats Northwestern State, 5-2
2/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 20, 2010
MOBILE, Ala. --- The UAB softball team went 2-0 Saturday, picking up its second win over Northwestern State to make the Blazers 2-1 at the South Alabama Invitational.
The Blazers (4-3) jumped out to an early lead over the Demons (5-2) in the first. Leadoff hitter Martina Landrum set the tone for the Blazers with a single to centerfield. Junior Caley Walden also reached on a bunt.
Landrum scored off a sacrifice bunt by senior Cameron Skates and Walden crossed the plate after a sacrifice fly by sophomore Mandy Lowman. A sacrifice bunt by sophomore Kayla Orr brought Skates home to give the Blazers a 3-0 lead.
"Offensively we came out and did a great job manufacturing runs through the short game," UAB head coach Marla Townsend said. "We've been working hard on our short game and it paid off tonight because we were able to execute and squeeze three runs across the plate."
In the third, Skates and Lowman belted back-to-back doubles, with Skates scoring to increase the Blazer lead to 4-1. Lowman had another strong game for the Blazers offensively, going 2-for-2 in the game with 2 RBI.
"The top of the lineup did an outstanding job and we're going to continue to challenge the players in the bottom half of the lineup to step up," Townsend said.
Orr went 1-for-2 for the day with one RBI, and chipped in another run for UAB in the sixth, scoring off a Kate Armstrong single to the right side.
Sophomore Amber Torres (2-0) had a solid game from the pitcher's circle in her second outing of the season.
"I was pleased with Amber's performance," Townsend said. "We have to limit the number of walks, but she did a good job of creating ground balls."
Third baseman Ashleigh Kuhn put Northwestern State on the board in the second, scoring off a triple by centerfielder Ashlee England. The Demons scored their final run in the fourth when first baseman Samantha Roberts slugged a home run over the right field wall.
Armstrong and Lowman had 13 combined putouts to lead a strong Blazer defense that forced the Demons to leave seven runners on base.
The Green and Gold will play their final game of the South Alabama Invitational Sunday at 3 p.m. CT against tournament host South Alabama.
