The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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UAB Softball Drops Heartbreaker To #20 Texas A&M
3/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 16, 2001
CLEARWATER, Fla. -
Texas A&M second baseman Rachel Lewis' sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning scored first baseman Kelly Ferguson with the winning run as the 20th-ranked Aggies defeated UAB 9-8 Friday afternoon at the USF/Clearwater Parks & Recreation Tournament.
The win improved Texas A&M to 20-5 on the season, while UAB dropped to 15-15.
UAB took an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth inning as shortstop Candace Hithe began the inning on second base, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by? right fielder Cliffanie Engram.
In the bottom of the ninth, Texas A&M's Hollee Hayden began the inning on second, and scored on the next play on Ferguson's RBI double down the left field line.? Ferguson then advanced to third base on a single by designated player Lindsay Wilhelmson, and scored the game-winning run two batters later on Lewis' sacrifice fly.
Engram had four RBI on the day for UAB, including four on a grand slam home run in the third inning, which gave UAB a 4-2 lead. ??She now has 10 RBI (three home runs, one double) and is batting .462 in the Blazers' four games in the tournament.
Texas A&M added a run in the bottom of the third on a solo home run by Ferguson, to make the score 4-3.
The Blazers took a 5-3 lead in the top of the fourth on a solo home run by shortstop Beth Mullins.
The Aggies struck for four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, as shortstop Crystal Martin hit an RBI double, right fielder Tiffany Esters hit a two-RBI double and Lewis drove in a run with a single, making the score 7-5.
UAB tied the game at 7-7 in the top of the sixth as third baseman Luci Bass and catcher Amanda Ellis each drove in runs.??
Texas A&M reliever Jessica Slataper (4-2) worked the final three innings for the victory, allowing one unearned run on no hits, with no walks and four strikeouts.
UAB reliever Kelli Thompson (7-7) took the loss, working four and one-third innings, allowing three runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts.? UAB starter Kerri Foster also worked four and one-third innings, allowing six runs on eight hits with two walks and one strikeout.
UAB will face Colgate Saturday at noon EST as the championship round of the tournament begins.
