Blazers Swept to Open Conference Play

Saturday, March 7

Birmingham, Ala.

11:30 A.M.

UAB

11-12, 0-2

North Texas

12-13, 2-0

North Texas

UAB

Blazers Swept to Open Conference Play

3/7/2026 4:59:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB Softball lost both of its games on Saturday to North Texas, losing all three games in the series. The Blazers led 4-0 in game one of the doubleheader before North Texas put together a pair of three-run innings to come back. North Texas then strung together back-to-back doubles and a single to take an early lead in the second game, never falling behind.

The UAB offense struggled in the final 11 innings of the day, scoring just two runs on eight hits after giving up the 4-0 lead in game one.

UAB pitching had its highs and lows throughout the day. The game one starter, Tait Davidson, pitched three great innings before the Mean Green homered in the fourth inning. Caitlin Russell pitched three innings without an earned run, but it was her error that allowed all three runs to score. In game two, Caroline McLendon allowed just one hit in her inning appearance, but it was a home run. The lone bright spot without a setback was Hannah Cole, who made her career-long appearance, throwing four scoreless innings.

The Blazers averaged six hits per game in the opening series of conference play, scoring eight runs total. On the contrary, UAB allowed over eight hits per game and 14 total runs by the Mean Green.

GAME ONE
North Texas 6, UAB 5
The Run Down

B1 | Charlee Bennett singled and reached third base on a North Texas, setting up an Ashlyn Shirah RBI single to put the Blazers ahead (1-0).
B2 | Jaycee Holt forced an errant throw from North Texas, allowing Hannah Miles to score (2-0).
B3 | Bennett doubled, and Shirah walked to set up a Hope Tucker two-run single to left center field (4-0).
T4 | North Texas flipped the game on its head with one swing, homering to left field with two outs, cutting the lead to one (4-3).
T6 | The Mean Green doubled to start the sixth inning. A throwing error by Caitlin Russell allowed the double to reach third base. A two-run single followed to score both runners to give North Texas the lead (4-5).
T6 | A sacrifice fly scored the final run of the inning for North Texas (4-6).
B7 | After leaving runners on in the fourth and sixth, the Blazers finally got offense going in the seventh. Bennett homered to left field, her second of the season, to draw UAB within one run (5-6).
B7 | Abbi Perkins walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A lineout to first and a groundball kept Perkins at second, ending the game.

Stat Lines

Bennett: 3-for-3, HR, 2B, BB, RBI, 3R
Shirah: 1-for-2, BB, RBI SH
H. Tucker: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Holt: 2-for-2, SH

In the Circle

Davidson: 4.0IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 1K, 1HR
- Davidson allowed her sixth home run of the season.
Russell: Loss (3-4), 3.0IP, 5H, 3R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K, E
- Russell was charged with her fourth loss of the season. It was the second time she's been tagged with the loss despite not giving up an earned run.

GAME TWO
North Texas 3, UAB 1
The Run Down

T2 | North Texas hit two doubles and a single in the span of four pitches, scoring quick back-to-back runs to take an early lead (0-2).
B2 | Ashlyn Shirah walked to lead off the inning, then scored on a Flammia RBI single (1-2).
T3 | The Mean Green homered in the third inning to get the run back (1-3). Abbi Perkins saved a run on the pitch prior by throwing out a runner on the base paths.
UAB left runners on throughout the game, including leaving the bases loaded with one out in the fifth inning. The Blazers then had two runners on in the seventh inning thanks to a North Texas error, but could not convert the opportunity.

Stat Lines

Dorsett: 2-for-4
Shirah: 1-for-3, BB, R
Flammia: 1-for-2, RBI
Allen: 1-for-2

In the Circle

Tucker: Loss (0-1), 2.0IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 0K
- Tucker's start was the first of her career.
- The loss was Tucker's first career decision.
Caroline McLendon: 1.0IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 1K, 1HR
- McLendon gave up her third home run of the season.
Cole: 4.0IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 0K
- Cole worked through four innings, pulling herself out of a couple of jams. North Texas had two runners on with one out in the sixth, but Cole forced a pop out and made a play of her own to shut down the inning. A line drive double play in the seventh inning led a scoreless inning despite two batters reaching for North Texas.
- The appearance was Cole's longest of her career.

Up Next

UAB heads to Georgia Tech on Tuesday for a single game in Atlanta. First pitch against the Yellow Jackets is set for 5 p.m. CT. UAB travels to Wichita State next weekend for another three-game set in conference play.