The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Softball Season Preview: Outfielders
2/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 9, 2011
This is the final segment of a three-part series previewing the 2011 UAB softball team. Wednesday's segment features the outfielders.
The UAB softball team returns two starters in the outfield from last season in seniors Caley Walden and Sallie Van Kirk. Walden, who made 55 starts in left field last season, will move over to center field to replace departed senior Martina Landrum. Van Kirk made 54 starts in right field in 2010 and will resume that starting role this season.
"Caley has moved over to center field and will be in charge of the outfield," UAB head coach Marla Townsend said. "She has done a great job so far and is reading the ball off the bat extremely well. Sallie will return as our starting right fielder."
Walden was the number two hitter in the Blazer lineup in 2010 and finished the season with a .295 batting average. She posted 51 hits and 28 runs and was 11-for-11 in stolen bases. At the 2010 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, she went 4-for-5 at the plate against Alcorn State with two runs and two RBI.
Van Kirk tallied 23 hits and 16 runs for the Blazers in 2010 The Athens, Ala., product's highlight of the season at the plate came at East Carolina, when she belted a two-out, two-RBI triple in the top of the 11th to break a scoreless game and give UAB a 2-0 victory over the Pirates.
Sophomore Hailey Glynn will replace Walden in left field. Glynn made 12 starts in the outfield last season and saw action in 30 games. The Pelham, Ala., native recorded a .261 batting average and notched 12 hits. Her best performance at the plate came against Jacksonville State, when she went 2-for-3 with three runs.
Junior Tiffany Smith and freshman Kristi Morton will serve as backup outfielders. Smith made appearances in 39 games in 2010, mostly as a pinch runner. She was 7-for-9 in stolen bases and scored 13 runs for the Green and Gold.
"Hailey will take over left field for the most part," Townsend said. "Tiffany and Kristi both worked hard in the offseason, but we also have some athletes that are really producing at the plate, so they could possibly see some time in the left or right field positions. We tell them up front that if they hit, they'll be in the lineup, so you could see several people in the left or right field spots."
