The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Softball Hosts North Texas in Conference USA Opener
3/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
UAB Blazers (15-5) vs. North Texas Mean Green (7-9)
Saturday, March 7 | 1 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 8 | Noon CT
Birmingham, Ala. | UAB Softball Field
Live Video | Saturday: Game One | Game Two|Sunday: Game Three
Live Stats | Saturday: Game One | Game Two|Sunday: Game Three
Social Media:Twitter
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB softball team will open Conference USA play this weekend with a three-game set against the North Texas Mean Green at UAB Softball Field.
The Blazers and Mean Green will square off in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, respectively, and will wrap up the series with a noon CT meeting on Sunday.
UAB (15-5) enters conference play on the heels of a nine-game winning streak and its best 20-game start in program history. The Blazers have had a winning record in conference play each of the past five years, winning at least 15 games per year. Last season, UAB turned in a 15-8 Conference USA record.
Nine of 11 of North Texas' (7-9) most recently scheduled games have been either cancelled or postponed, but the Mean Green most recently won both games of a doubleheader against Oklahoma State on Feb. 28. North Texas finished 14-9 in conference play last season.
This Saturday will be Camper Day at UAB Softball Field, as all attendees from Marla Townsend's softball camps are invited to attend.
All faculty and staff who present a valid UAB ID at Sunday's game will be admitted for free as part of Faculty and Staff Day. Those with military service will also be admitted free on Sunday, as all Sundays this season will also be Military Appreciation Day.
Live video and stats will be available on UABSports.com throughout the weekend.
Blazers Off to Best 20-Game Start in Program History
With the 8-7 win over the Lipscomb Bisons on Tuesday night, the UAB softball team moved to 15-5, clinching its best start in program history.
The Blazers' best start previously was 14-6, a record most recently posted by UAB's Super Regional team in 2013. A breakdown of some of the Blazers' all-time best starts through 20 games is below:
Best Starts Through 20 Games:
2015 - 15-5
2013 - 14-6
2010 - 14-6
2011 - 13-7
2006 - 13-7
2003 - 13-7
2002 - 13-7
UAB Much Improved in Sealing Close Wins
Through 20 games this season, the UAB softball team has played in seven games in which the game went to extra innings or was decided by one run. In those seven games, the Blazers hold a 5-2 record, whereas the Blazers were 2-8 in those circumstances over the first 20 games last season. A breakdown of those records is below:
2015 (5-2):
Lost to Evansville, 7-6
Lost to South Dakota, 4-3
Defeated Wisconsin, 8-7
Defeated Wisconsin, 3-2
Defeated Mississippi State, 5-4 (8)
Defeated Minnesota, 1-0
Defeated Lipscomb, 8-7
2014 (2-8):
Lost to McNeese State, 5-3 (8)
Lost to Syracuse, 3-2 (9)
Lost to South Alabama, 2-1 (11)
Lost to Baylor, 4-2 (9)
Defeated Iowa, 6-1 (9)
Lost to Lipscomb, 8-6 (8)
Lost to Western Carolina, 5-4 (8)
Lost to East Carolina, 2-1
Defeated East Carolina, 5-4 (8)
Lost to East Carolina, 2-1
UAB Pitching Staff Makes Great Strides After First Weekend
Through 20 games this season, the UAB pitching staff has compiled a team ERA of 3.89.
The Blazers went 2-3 in five games at the Plainsman Invite to begin the year, allowing opponents 8.0 runs per game with a team ERA of 8.50.
In the 15 games since then, the pitching staff has compiled a 13-2 record, holding opponents to 3.13 runs per game, while posting a team ERA of 2.62 over that period.
Conference USA's March 2 Pitcher of the Week Cara Goodwin has won all six of her games over that period, and has held opponents to 10 earned runs in the 39.2 innings she has pitched for a 1.76 ERA since opening weekend. Goodwin has only allowed one run in her last 15.1 innings pitched, while her performances last week included a shutout of No. 13/11 Minnesota over seven innings, as well as a scoreless final 2.2 innings against Mississippi State to help fuel the Blazers' comeback win.
Fellow sophomore Madison Hir has not allowed an earned run in her last 16.2 innings pitched, limiting opponents to just two earned runs in 21.1 innings after opening weekend for a 0.66 ERA. Hir tossed a complete-game one-hitter in the 9-0 win over Towson at the Citrus Classic 2 in Orlando, Fla., and did not allow an earned run in a complete-game outing against Wichita State at the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational.
Scouting North Texas
UAB and North Texas met for the first time last season for a three-game Conference USA series in Denton, Texas, with the Blazers taking the sweep with wins in all three games. UAB defeated the Mean Green 9-1 and 5-1 on March 29, and sealed the sweep with a 2-1 win in the series finale on March 30.
Including the two wins against Oklahoma State, North Texas has gone 3-0 against the Big 12 this season with a 1-0 win at then-No. 7 Baylor on Feb. 20.
Junior utility player Taylor Schoblocher has driven in 23 runs this season, and paces North Texas and Conference USA with a .622 batting average, eight home runs and a 1.244 slugging percentage, while tying for the top spot in Conference USA with 56 total bases. Senior infielder Danielle Hoff is batting .347 with three doubles and six RBI.
The trio of Madison Thompson, Stacey Underwood and Monique Garcia has pitched the bulk of North Texas' innings this season, with Thompson leading the Mean Green with a 3-1 record, a 3.77 ERA and a complete-game shutout. Thompson and Garcia, who leads the team with 23 strikeouts, combined for North Texas' other shutout this season.
For the latest news on Blazer sports, follow the UAB Athletics Twitter account,@UABathletics. For an in-depth look into the UAB softball program, follow @uabsoftball on Twitter.
