The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
No. 3 Southern Miss
Blazers Top Southern Miss to Advance to Conference Championship
5/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
FAU Box Socre (PDF) | Southern Miss Box Score (PDF)
DENTON, Texas - Despite falling to No. 1 Florida Atlantic to open Friday's play at Lovelace Stadium, the No. 2 UAB softball team battled back, defeating Southern Miss, 5-1, to advance to Saturday's championship game.
"I am proud of these ladies," head coach Marla Townsend said. "We set our goal to play in the championship game of the conference tournament. Through the highs and lows to battle back to the championship game is great. I'm extremely proud of the way we played. I can say it over and over, but I truly mean that it was a total team effort today. We hit through the top to the bottom of the lineup. We had some great defensive plays, and Cara shut a great hitting team to three runs."
UAB took a 3-1 lead into the third inning against the No. 1 seed and nationally ranked No. 22 Florida Atlantic; but the Owls plated eight runs in the bottom of the third before topping the Blazers, 11-3.
The Blazers battled back from a 1-0 deficit to top Southern Miss, 5-1, to advance to the Conference USA Championship game. UAB is set for a rematch with No. 1 Florida Atlantic at noon Saturday.
UAB is returning to the championship game for the first time since the 2002 season when the Blazers fell to DePaul, 2-1.
Game One (W, 11-3)
Senior Caitlin Attfield and junior JoJo Fallen led off the game with back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt from senior Kelly Britt. Attfield came around to score on an illegal pitch from Amanda Wilson.
Delaney Rickey led off the bottom of the first with a leadoff triple, but the Blazers turned a run-saving double play to keep the Owls off the board.
Florida Atlantic locked the game up, 1-1, in the bottom of the second with a two-out single and a double from Mickey Bell.
The Blazers loaded the bases in the top of the third with three straight singles from Attfield, Fallen and Britt before junior Mary Warren came through with an RBI fielder's choice to push UAB back ahead, 2-1.
Florida Atlantic took advantage of Blazer miscues as the Owls scored eight runs in the bottom of the third to take their first lead of the game, 9-2.
The Owls added two additional runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead to 11-2.
UAB cut the lead to 11-3 in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Mary Warren, but the Owls retired the side to cap the run-rule victory.
Attfield led UAB at the plate going 3-for-3 with three singles and two runs scored. Warren went hitless in the contest, but plated two RBIs.
Cara Goodwin took the loss after pitching 2.2 innings and allowing eight runs off six hits with two strikeouts. The junior allowed no walks, but issued two hit by pitches in the contest as she fell to 16-11 on the season.
Game Two (W, 5-1)
The two squads traded three scoreless innings before No. 3 Southern Miss broke through with a solo home run from Katie Cleary to lead off the fourth inning.
Warren answered in the bottom of the fourth, leading off with her 11th home run of the season to tie the game and tied for the sixth-most homers in a single-season for the Blazers.
Senior Sara Beth Williamson doubled to center field as junior Amy Waters followed with a hit by pitch to put two runners on with two outs. Junior Danii Fernandez answered with an RBI single to left field to put UAB on top, 2-1, through four.
After clutch defensive plays by the Blazers to preserve the lead, Fallen led off the bottom of the fifth with a double to left center. Senior Ashley Johnson, sophomore Rachel Dunsford and Williamson followed through with three consecutive, two-out hits to score three runs, extending UAB's lead to 5-1.
Southern Miss got two runners on in the top of the seventh; but Goodwin shut the door to pick up her 17th victory of the season, tying for the third-most wins in a single season.
Goodwin tossed the complete game as she allowed just one run off three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Fallen led UAB at the plate in game two, going 3-for-4 with one run scored. Williamson went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
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).
