The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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UTEP
Three-Run Seventh Lifts Blazers Over UTEP To Sweep Series
4/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (PDF)
EL PASO, Texas – UTEP brought a 2-1 advantage into the seventh inning, but junior Mary Warren’s came in the clutch with a two-run home run as the UAB softball team plated three runs in the seventh inning to secure a 4-2 victory and a series sweep over the Miners at Helen of Troy Field on Sunday.
“Talk about relentless,” head coach Marla Townsend said. “First off, hats off to UTEP’s defense. They made amazing plays at crucial times. They are the representation of Conference USA softball at its finest. With the win being 10 to 20 miles per hour all game, we had to be relentless. The wind took a few pop-ups and allowed UTEP to score its last run. For Sara Beth to work the count and draw the walk, and Mary coming to the plate as hot as she has been to hit one over the right center field wall, they never gave up. It was excellent play all the way around today. Cara Goodwin was on. She did a great job mixing it up even the fourth time through UTEP’s lineup. She was moving the ball extremely well. It was a huge win to come out on the road and take all three games. We’ve got momentum at the right time.”
Kaitlin Fifield and Goodwin were locked in a duel for the first three innings as both pitchers kept the opposing squad off the board.
UAB (22-24, 12-6) broke through in the fourth inning with the aid of a costly Miner (19-28, 10-8) error. Warren and senior Ashley Johnson knocked back-to-back, one-out singles to put a Blazer in scoring position. Warren’s single extends her reached-base streak to 21 consecutive games.
Senior Kelly Britt advanced pinch runner Lizzie Ryan to third base as Britt reached on a fielder’s choice. Freshman Hannah Lee brought Ryan home as an error on Miner shortstop Cortney Smith allowed all runners to advance safely and break the stalemate, 1-0.
Goodwin took a no-hitter into the fifth inning as she allowed just three runners to reach on two walks and a UAB error, but Smith broke up the no-hitter with a solo home run to deep center field to lock the game back up at 1-1 through five.
UTEP led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to right field from Taylor Sargent and advanced the sophomore to third on a sacrifice bunt. Another Miner hit single to shallow right allowed UTEP to squeeze across the go-ahead run.
UAB brought the tying run to the plate with a one-out walk from Sara Beth Williamson before Warren drove her 10th home run of the season to right center field to put the Blazers back on top, 3-1.
With two outs, Britt and Lee knocked back-to-back singles before junior Amy Waters plated an insurance run with an RBI single up the middle.
UTEP brought the tying run to the plate, but Goodwin and the Blazer defense shut down the comeback chance to clinch UAB’s first conference series sweep of the season.
Goodwin tossed the complete game allowing just two runs off six hits and two walks, while striking out six to earn her 11th win of the season.
The Blazers return to nonconference action Tuesday as UAB hosts Chattanooga at Mary Bowers Field for a 4 p.m. CT contest.
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).
