The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Indiana
UAB Softball Falls To Indiana 8-2 In Tournament Opener
2/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 18, 2011
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The UAB softball team fell to Indiana, 8-2, Friday in its USF Tournament opener at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
UAB's bats were quiet as Indiana (3-3) outhit the Blazers, 12-3. Catcher Cassie Gogreve led the Hoosiers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one hit and one RBI. Kate Armstrong led the Blazers, going 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Caley Walden hit 1-for-3 with one run.
UAB (2-4) still managed to put players on base, but left a total of 12 runners on compared to Indiana's five and didn't take advantage of two bases loaded situations.
"Since the start of the season we have been trying to play our game," UAB head coach Marla Townsend said. "Once again we thought we'd come through with runners in scoring position but we left 12 runners on base. So early on in the first few innings, we had every opportunity to take the lead and get the momentum on our side but we were lacking with people coming through with runners in scoring position."
UAB got off to a rocky start after pitcher Alisha Smith was called for six illegal pitches to plate Indiana's leadoff hitter Breanna Saucedo and give the Hoosiers the early 1-0 lead. UAB head coach Marla Townsend was also ejected from the game before the end of the first inning.
The Blazers evened the score in the bottom of the inning after a sacrifice fly by Armstrong scored Catherine Douglass.
The Hoosiers tacked on another run in the second frame after Sara Olson knocked a base hit followed by a Cassie Gogreve triple to increase Indiana's lead to, 2-1.
Olsen was hit by a pitch to reach first in the fourth inning, then pinch runner Heather Nelson rounded the diamond on a double to left center by Shelby Gogreve to give Indiana the 3-1 advantage.
The Hoosiers broke open the game in the sixth, collecting three runs to take the 6-1 lead. A pair of runs scored on a Wagner single to left field and a Blazer miscue led to the third.
UAB scored its second run of the game in the sixth after Walden reached on a base hit and crossed the plate on a single by Armstrong. But, the Hoosiers added two more runs in the seventh to make the final score, 8-2.
Both bullpens used a trio of pitchers in the game. UAB's Lauren Webster (1-2) took over for Smith in the first and allowed four hits and two earned runs in two innings pitched. Streetman came in in the fifth and gave up eight hits and five runs in the final three innings.
Olsen started for Indiana in the circle and tossed for two innings, allowing four walks and one run before Jessica Dobson took over. After Dobson faced just four batters, Morgan Melloh (2-3) stepped in and went the distance, fanning seven batters and surrendering one run in the final 4.2 innings.
"I think that all of the adversity with the game was a test," Townsend said. "The team that's able to overcome adversity is going to be a team that plays late in the year and that's what we're looking at doing."
The Blazers will continue tournament action Friday evening, facing tournament host USF at 8 p.m. ET.
