The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Wednesday, March 27
Birmingham, Ala. / Mary Bowers Field
5 P.M.
UAB
12-19
9
vs
3
Jacksonville State
19-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Jacksonville State
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
9
2
UAB
0
0
0
1
0
8
X
9
11
2
Sixth-Inning Outburst Powers UAB Past Jacksonville State
3/27/2019 9:49:00 PM | Softball
BIRMINGHAM – Trailing 3-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, the UAB softball team (12-19, 2-7 C-USA) exploded for eight runs in the bottom frame against Jacksonville State (19-8, 3-1 OVC) on Wednesday night, blowing by the Gamecocks, 9-3, at Mary Bowers Field. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when UAB scored one, followed by three Gamecock runs in the top of the fifth and the eventual Blazer thrashing in the sixth for the final tally.
Junior infielder Dylinn Stancil led the Blazer bats throughout the game, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored on the day. Freshman infielder Sierra Frazier had the biggest hit of the day, coming in as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth and crushing a three-run shot to dead center. In the circle, UAB split up the workload. Sophomore Emily Kachel got the start and went three innings, earning four strikeouts and only giving up a hit with no runs allowed. Sophomore Bailie Barnes took over for 1.2 innings, picking up a strikeout while giving up six hits and three runs. Freshman Sarah Cespedes finished it out from there, picking up a strikeout and only giving up two hits in 2.1 innings of work to earn the win and move to 4-4 on the season.
As neither team was able to put a run on the board through the first three innings, the only action for the Blazers was a Natalie Erwin double to center field and a Destini England single. Meanwhile, Jacksonville State had built momentum, but was unable to cash in, leaving five runners on base over the three frames. The Gamecocks continued to knock on the door, but came up empty in the top of the fourth as well, leaving two more on after a pair of singles.
"We had a really good pitching performance by all three," said coach Jimmy Kolaitis. "Kachel gave us three really good innings. Barnes had some tough breaks, but didn't really give up anything in the air. Everything kind of found a hole, but then Cespedes came in and closed the game, so our pitching performance was pretty good."
UAB broke through in the bottom of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. Stancil took matters into her own hands, getting on with a single through the right side, stealing second and advancing home after an error on the throw.
Jacksonville State responded in the top of the fifth, plating three runs of its own to take a 3-1 lead. The Gamecocks were able to drive each of the three home on nothing more than a handful of well-placed singles, totaling five in the inning.
Both sides came up empty in the bottom of the fifth and the top of the sixth, but UAB turned the tide in the bottom of the sixth. The Blazers buried Jacksonville State by pouring in eight runs in the inning alone. After singles from Stancil and Erwin, Sarah Crawford and Ashton Clem walked to force home Stancil. Jenna Olszewski then evened the score at three apiece with a single that drove in Erwin. Rachel Owens followed that with a two RBI single that sent Clem and Crawford in. Sierra Frazier then stepped in as a pinch hitter and broke things open with her three-run dinger. Already up 8-3, Faith Hegh picked up a single, Stancil and Erwin each made their second plate appearance of the inning and drew walks, then Crawford singled to send in Hegh for one more. In total, the Blazers added six singles, reached on four walks and knocked a three-RBI bomb in the frame.
"Offensively, as a team, we were kind of flat to start out the game," said Kolaitis. "We created some energy late in the game and had that big inning where we put up eight runs. We just had some momentum in that inning. We were very patient. We got pitches we could handle. We took our walks. We had one hit by a pitch, then we had some big hits like Sierra (Frazier) coming off the bench to hit the home run. We just need to have that energy, focus and discipline from inning one instead of waiting that late in the game."
After enduring such an inning, Jacksonville State had no answer in the top of the seventh. The Gamecocks picked up a single, but nothing more, ultimately falling to the Blazers, 9-3.
"That's a pretty good Jacksonville State team. That's a team that's probably going to win or compete for the OVC Championship. They always do," said Kolaitis. "Jana (McGinnis) does a phenomenal job. We kind of reversed our fortune from a few weeks ago where we were up late and lost a lead. This week, we're winning games like that, so we're moving in the right direction. We've got some momentum. We'll get to work the next few days. We've got a big weekend against UTEP that we've got to play well in for sure. I hope the momentum will carry over."
The Blazers will next host a weekend series against conference opponent UTEP (9-22, 3-6 C-USA) on Saturday and Sunday at Mary Bowers Field. In a Saturday doubleheader, first pitch for game one is slated for 3 p.m., and game two is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. The series topper is set to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
General admission tickets are on sale for $5 for adults and $3 for youth and chairback seats are available for $10 for adults and $6 for youth. Tickets can be purchased at the gate, online at uabsports.com, or by calling the UAB Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.
Fans can receive access to every softball, women's basketball and baseball game for the entire 2018-19 season by purchasing a Gold Card. Contact the UAB Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1 for more details.
For more information on the UAB softball team follow the Blazers on Twitter and Instagram (@UAB_SB).
Junior infielder Dylinn Stancil led the Blazer bats throughout the game, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored on the day. Freshman infielder Sierra Frazier had the biggest hit of the day, coming in as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth and crushing a three-run shot to dead center. In the circle, UAB split up the workload. Sophomore Emily Kachel got the start and went three innings, earning four strikeouts and only giving up a hit with no runs allowed. Sophomore Bailie Barnes took over for 1.2 innings, picking up a strikeout while giving up six hits and three runs. Freshman Sarah Cespedes finished it out from there, picking up a strikeout and only giving up two hits in 2.1 innings of work to earn the win and move to 4-4 on the season.
As neither team was able to put a run on the board through the first three innings, the only action for the Blazers was a Natalie Erwin double to center field and a Destini England single. Meanwhile, Jacksonville State had built momentum, but was unable to cash in, leaving five runners on base over the three frames. The Gamecocks continued to knock on the door, but came up empty in the top of the fourth as well, leaving two more on after a pair of singles.
"We had a really good pitching performance by all three," said coach Jimmy Kolaitis. "Kachel gave us three really good innings. Barnes had some tough breaks, but didn't really give up anything in the air. Everything kind of found a hole, but then Cespedes came in and closed the game, so our pitching performance was pretty good."
UAB broke through in the bottom of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. Stancil took matters into her own hands, getting on with a single through the right side, stealing second and advancing home after an error on the throw.
Jacksonville State responded in the top of the fifth, plating three runs of its own to take a 3-1 lead. The Gamecocks were able to drive each of the three home on nothing more than a handful of well-placed singles, totaling five in the inning.
Both sides came up empty in the bottom of the fifth and the top of the sixth, but UAB turned the tide in the bottom of the sixth. The Blazers buried Jacksonville State by pouring in eight runs in the inning alone. After singles from Stancil and Erwin, Sarah Crawford and Ashton Clem walked to force home Stancil. Jenna Olszewski then evened the score at three apiece with a single that drove in Erwin. Rachel Owens followed that with a two RBI single that sent Clem and Crawford in. Sierra Frazier then stepped in as a pinch hitter and broke things open with her three-run dinger. Already up 8-3, Faith Hegh picked up a single, Stancil and Erwin each made their second plate appearance of the inning and drew walks, then Crawford singled to send in Hegh for one more. In total, the Blazers added six singles, reached on four walks and knocked a three-RBI bomb in the frame.
"Offensively, as a team, we were kind of flat to start out the game," said Kolaitis. "We created some energy late in the game and had that big inning where we put up eight runs. We just had some momentum in that inning. We were very patient. We got pitches we could handle. We took our walks. We had one hit by a pitch, then we had some big hits like Sierra (Frazier) coming off the bench to hit the home run. We just need to have that energy, focus and discipline from inning one instead of waiting that late in the game."
After enduring such an inning, Jacksonville State had no answer in the top of the seventh. The Gamecocks picked up a single, but nothing more, ultimately falling to the Blazers, 9-3.
"That's a pretty good Jacksonville State team. That's a team that's probably going to win or compete for the OVC Championship. They always do," said Kolaitis. "Jana (McGinnis) does a phenomenal job. We kind of reversed our fortune from a few weeks ago where we were up late and lost a lead. This week, we're winning games like that, so we're moving in the right direction. We've got some momentum. We'll get to work the next few days. We've got a big weekend against UTEP that we've got to play well in for sure. I hope the momentum will carry over."
The Blazers will next host a weekend series against conference opponent UTEP (9-22, 3-6 C-USA) on Saturday and Sunday at Mary Bowers Field. In a Saturday doubleheader, first pitch for game one is slated for 3 p.m., and game two is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. The series topper is set to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
General admission tickets are on sale for $5 for adults and $3 for youth and chairback seats are available for $10 for adults and $6 for youth. Tickets can be purchased at the gate, online at uabsports.com, or by calling the UAB Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.
Fans can receive access to every softball, women's basketball and baseball game for the entire 2018-19 season by purchasing a Gold Card. Contact the UAB Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1 for more details.
For more information on the UAB softball team follow the Blazers on Twitter and Instagram (@UAB_SB).
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cespedes, Sarah (4-4)
L: Alexus Jimmerson (1-2)
Batting:
RBI: Lex Hull 1 ; Amber Jones 1 ; Jada Terry 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Karsen Mosley 1 ; Taylor Beshears 1 ; Amber Jones 1
SB: Hannahstaysia Weaver 1
HBP: Karsen Mosley 1
Batting:
2B: Erwin, Natalie 1
HR: Frazier, Sierra 1
RBI: Crawford, Sarah 1 ; Clem, Ashton 1 ; Olszewski, Jenna 1 ; Owens, Rachel 2 ; Frazier, Sierra 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Hegh, Faith 1 ; Stancil, Dylinn 2 ; Erwin, Natalie 1 ; Crawford, Sarah 1 ; Clem, Ashton 1 ; Olszewski, Jenna 1 ; Owens, Rachel 1 ; Frazier, Sierra 1
SB: Stancil, Dylinn 1
HBP: Crawford, Sarah 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballINF
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