The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
2016 UAB Softball Season Preview: Battery
2/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A young pitching staff carried the Blazers to their sixth consecutive season of 30 or more wins in 2015, and now they’re back with another year under their belts and ready to shine.
Heading into 2015, then sophomores Cara Goodwin and Madison Hir combined for 11 appearances. The duo was joined by true freshman Megan Smith to carry the load that aces Leigh Streetman and Lannah Campbell left behind.
The pitching staff was the biggest question mark for the Blazers heading into the 2015 campaign, and the group of inexperienced underclassmen rose to the occasion.
The Blazer trio returns for another year in the circle and is stronger than ever and with invaluable experience to lead UAB through a challenging 2016 slate.
Goodwin returns as the anchor of the pitching staff. During her sophomore campaign, the Cullman, Ala., native finished 13-6 with a team-best 3.19 ERA. The right hander threw 11 complete games, two shutouts and tallied two saves over 133.2 innings, while striking out a team-leading 108 batters and only walking 57.
The junior proved tough on opposing batters with a team-low .259 average against her, and head coach Marla Townsend feels the Blazers will rely on her the bulk of 2016.
“Cara Goodwin’s ball continues to jump,” said Townsend. “She has great movement and location. We rode her a lot last season, and she once again is going to have substantial time in the circle. Her experience is going to pay off tremendously.”
Smith returns after a phenomenal debut season that earned her a spot on the 2015 All-C-USA Freshman Team. Smith earned a team-best 14 wins, the ninth-most in a single season, with a 4.66 ERA. She matched Goodwin’s 133.2 innings pitched and dealt 13 complete games and two shutouts.
The Pisgah, Ala., native struck out 81 batters and allowed 69 walks, but the knowledge she gained in 2015 makes her one of the Blazers go-to pitchers.
“She has worked extremely hard in the offseason,” Towsend added. “I think she is someone we are really going to rely on for quite a bit of innings. She is strong and solid defensively. She knows the game and is passionate about it. She does a great job keeping hitters guessing.”
Hir rounds out the returning Blazer pitchers. The junior pitched 54 innings in 2015 with two complete games and one shutout. Her performance earned the West Palm Beach, Fla., native a 5-4 record and 5.06 ERA.
“Madison has come back in great shape,” Townsend said. “Her ball is really moving, and I think she is going to have a breakout season.”
UAB has one new face joining the staff, true freshman Tori Perkins. Perkins is a three-year letterwinner at J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment, Fla., where she was a member of the 7A Softball State Championship team.
A member of the Tate High School Hall of Fame, Perkins was the 2015 7A Florida Player of the Year and Pensacola News Journal Player of the Year. Townsend expects Perkins to see time in the circle and feels she “compliments our staff well.”
The key to an outstanding pitching staff is the second half of the battery – an experienced catcher. The Blazers just happen to have two in Ashley Johnson and Olivia Black.
Johnson returns for her senior season after guiding the young staff through 2015. The senior is strong behind the plate, making just three errors last season while throwing out nine would-be base stealers.
At the plate, Johnson batted .243 with 33 hits, 13 of which went for extra bases. The Starke, Fla., native drove home 20 runs and crossed the plate 24 times. Her relationship with the pitching staff is an important stat that cannot be measured by numbers.
“Johnson works extremely well with each of the pitchers, and we are asking her to continue developing the relationship she has with our pitching staff to complement each other,” said Townsend. “Every pitcher is completely different, so it is important that she is able to read their body language and stay on them. She has the ability to let them know when they have done something good and also to give them quick feedback if they need to hit their spots better.”
Black, a redshirt sophomore, will also find time behind the plate this season. The Woodstock, Ga., native was limited last year due to injury and saw just 10 appearances. Black finished 1-for-5 with a pair of walks to record a .425 on-base percentage.
“Olivia Black has worked extremely hard to recover from surgery this off season,” Towsend said. “She also works well with our pitching staff.”
The key to success for the Blazer pitching staff in 2016 will be the senior leadership of Johnson combined with the underclassmen’s drive to leave their mark in the circle.
“Having a senior like Ashley Johnson behind the plate to take charge and be our main communicator is going to be fun to watch,” Towsend added. “If you know her personality, you know that Ashley is always fun. Her communication with our staff is what is to be expected from a senior, and she is going to rise to the occasion.”
UAB softball will open its 2016 season on the road Feb. 11 when it travels to Mobile, Ala., to battle in-state foe No. 25 South Alabama at 6 p.m.
Season tickets are available now by calling the UAB Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1 or by visiting UABSports.com. Single-game tickets will be available beginning Feb. 8.
For more information on the UAB softball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UABSoftball). For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
