The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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Western Kentucky
UAB Defeats North Dakota, Falls To WKU
2/18/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 18, 2012
North Dakota Box Score | WKU Box Score | Sunday Live Stats | Sunday Live Chat
TUCSON, Ariz. –The UAB Softball team split a pair of games Saturday on the second day of the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Ariz.
The Blazers (5-4) defeated North Dakota, 9-8, before falling to Western Kentucky, 3-2.
Junior Whitney Fletcher scored three runs on one at bat with two walks, while senior Kate Armstrong crossed the plate twice in the win.
UAB scored all nine runs in the first three innings against the Sioux. Fletcher walked to lead off the first inning and eventually scored on a single by senior Kayla Orr.
Two more runs scored in the second thanks to Catherine Crawford’s triple, which scored Armstrong and Fletcher.
Crawford’s triple is the 10th of her career and the most in school history.
In the third inning, the Blazers scored six runs on six hits. Senior Mandy Lowman singled to lead off the inning. Designated hitter Kristen McGrath cranked a two-run homer over the right field wall to give UAB the lead 5-0.
Freshman Hayley Davis, Armstrong, Hornsby and Fletcher all scored in the third inning.
The Sioux chipped away at UAB’s 9-0 lead, when in the bottom of the third Caralyn Chewning hit a solo bomb over the right field wall. North Dakota added one more run in the third and two more in the fifth inning.
North Dakota cut UAB’s lead to one after scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but UAB got the first three outs in the top of the seventh for the 9-8 victory.
Webster (2-0) earned the win and sophomore Leigh Streetman was credited with the save.
The Blazers also scored in the first inning of the second game against WKU. Crawford hit another triple and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Davis.
UAB added an insurance run in the sixth inning after stringing together three hits.
WKU retaliated in the top of the seventh inning. After scoring one run in the top of the sixth, the Hilltoppers added two more in the next frame.
Katrina Metoyer and Amanda Walden both singled for the Hilltoppers. Olivia Watkins entered the game to run for Walden. Metoyer stole third and Watkins stole second.
The top of the order Shawna Sadler singled to Fletcher in center field. Metoyer scored and Fletcher threw home, but the throw was off target and Watkins also scored to give WKU the lead and the win, 3-2.
Streetman suffered the loss for the Blazers and Emily Rousseau (2-2) earned the win for the Hilltoppers.
The Blazers wrap up the Hillenbrand Invitational Sunday with a rematch against Western Kentucky. First pitch is slated for 9 a.m. MT.
Live stats and a live in-game chat are available at www.UABSports.com.
