The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Welcomes East Carolina For Key C-USA Series
4/15/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 15, 2011
UAB-East Carolina Game Notes | Game One Gametracker | Watch
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB softball team will host the East Carolina Pirates this weekend for a key Conference USA series. The Blazers and Pirates play a doubleheader on Saturday at UAB Softball Field beginning at 1 p.m. as part of the Blazer Blitz weekend, then wrap up the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission to Saturday's doubleheader is free.
UAB At A Glance
UAB has claimed 17 of its last 21 contests and is 11-3 at home heading into the weekend series against East Carolina.
The Blazers have won eight of their last 10. UAB captured a 7-0 victory on Thursday at Jacksonville State, churning out 14 hits, the second-most of the season.
The UAB pitching staff ranks second in C-USA with a 1.50 team ERA. UAB has recorded 15 shutouts and held opponents to a .202 batting average. Lauren Webster (10-2) has the league's fourth-best ERA at 1.11 after allowing nine earned runs in 57.0 innings pitched.
The Green and Gold are currently hitting .264 as a team. Centerfielder Caley Walden leads the team in batting average (.358), hits (48) and runs (25), while shortstop Kayla Orr has registered a team-best 21 RBI.
Scouting East Carolina
The Pirates bring a 29-15 overall and 9-6 C-USA record into the weekend series. East Carolina has dropped five of its last six contests, including back-to-back losses to NC State on Wednesday. The Pirates dropped the first game of the doubleheader, 2-1, and fell, 5-4, in 10 innings in the nightcap.
Suzanne Riggs leads the Pirates with a .323 batting average and tops the team with 28 RBI. Kristi Oshiro is hitting .318 with a team-leading 42 hits and 30 runs scored.
Toni Paisley has carried the load for ECU in the circle. Paisley is 22-8 with a 1.08 ERA in 200.1 innings pitched. She has given up 31 earned runs and fanned 262 batters.
Recent Series History
UAB took the first two games of last year's series before dropping the finale in Greenville. Prior to the pair of wins in 2010, the Blazers had dropped four in a row to the Pirates.
The series is even at 6-6 when the two teams play in the Magic City. The Pirates swept the last series in Birmingham in 2009.
30-Win Mark
UAB earned its 30th win of the season with a 7-0 victory over Jacksonville State on April 15. It marks the second-straight season UAB has reached the 30-win plateau and fifth time in program history.
Streetman's Strikeouts
Freshman pitcher Leigh Streetman recorded 10 strikeouts in UAB's 2-0 win against Kennesaw State on April 12. It marked the most strikeouts of her career and the most of any Blazer this season.
