The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
#25 Houston
UAB Softball Sweeps Doubleheader At No. 25 Houston
3/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 12, 2011
HOUSTON -- The UAB softball team made a late rally to claim Saturday's series opener at No. 25 Houston, 3-1, before defeating the Cougars, 1-0, in the second game to sweep the doubleheader at Cougar Softball Stadium.
UAB (15-7, 2-0 C-USA) and Houston (16-8, 0-2 C-USA) will conclude the three-game series with a single contest Sunday at 12 p.m. CT at Cougar Softball Stadium.
Game 1: UAB 3, #25 Houston 1
In Saturday's opener, Houston pitcher Amanda Crabtree held UAB to one hit through five innings, but the Blazers made a late rally and scored three runs on three hits in the sixth inning to eventually defeat the Cougars, 3-1.
UAB utilized a trio of pitchers in the win. Senior pitcher Alisha Smith made the start, allowing one earned run and six hits in the first four innings. Sophomore Lauren Webster (6-2) earned the victory for the Blazers, surrendering no earned runs in 2.2 innings of work, while Streetman picked up the save, her fourth of the season.
Despite fanning 12 Blazer batters, Crabtree (10-3) suffered the loss after giving up three earned runs on five hits.
Center fielder Caley Walden went 2-for-4 to lead UAB offensively, while catcher Mandy Lowman went 1-for-3 with one run and two RBI. Right fielder Katy Beth Sherman, left fielder Melissa Gregson and designated player Reina Gaber all had two hits apiece to lead Houston at the plate.
Houston put the first run of the game on the board in the bottom of the third frame. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Gaber belted a single up the middle to score Sherman. The Blazers caught Gregson trying to score on the play to end the inning.
Webster took over for Smith in the circle with two runners on base in the fifth and walked her first batter faced to load the bases with no outs. Webster then retired three-straight batters on strikes to lead the Blazers out of the inning unharmed.
In the sixth inning, shortstop Kayla Orr reached on a fielder's choice. Then with two outs, Orr made it to third on a base hit by third baseman Kate Armstrong and scored on an overthrow to third by Houston's Jones. Next up, Lowman blasted a two-run homer, her first long ball of the season.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cougars put two runners in scoring position with two outs. Streetman came in to pitch for the Blazers and forced a fly out to preserve the victory for UAB.
Game 2: UAB 1, #25 Houston 0
UAB defeated No. 25 Houston, 1-0, in Saturday's finale.
The Blazers outhit the Cougars, 7-2, in the win. Designated player Kristen McGrath led UAB at the plate, going 3-for-3 with one run. Walden also posted a pair of hits to bring her tally to four for the day.
Leigh Streetman (4-3) went the distance for UAB in the circle, holding Houston to just two hits, both of which occurred in the fourth inning, to pick up the win.
The Blazers put the game's only run on the board in the second inning after McGrath reached on a base knock to leftfield. A RBI-single by right fielder Sallie Van Kirk two batters later plated McGrath to give the Green and Gold the 1-0 advantage.
Donna Bourgeois (4-5) suffered the loss for Houston after giving up seven hits and one earned run in seven innings of work.
