The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Louisville
Softball Splits With Louisville
4/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 20, 2002
Birmingham, Ala. - UAB (31-16, C-USA 11-1) split with Louisville (21-24, C-USA 7-8) this afternoon in Conference USA action at George Ward Park Field #6. The Blazers fell short in the first game 2-1 in eight innings but bounced back in game two to take the second game, 3-2, after nine innings.
Louisville scored first in the top of the seventh inning. Shannon Nord scored the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field by Lisa Estes.
The Blazers fought back in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at one run each. Junior outfielder Cliffanie Engram (Pelham, Ala.) scored on an error by Cardinal shortstop Kenzie Meisenburg.
In the top of the eighth inning, Louisville took the lead when Meisenburg scored on a wild pitch by pitcher Megan Stephenson (Washington, Ill.), after leading the inning off with a double to left field.
Leading the Blazers was senior Kai Paul (Birmingham, Ala.) who went two for three.
The losing pitcher was Stephenson (10-8) who threw all eight innings for the Blazers. Stephenson allowed two runs off seven hits and struck out six.
In the second game, the Cardinals took an early lead in the first inning when Sara Bausher hit a solo home run to left field.
The Blazers came back to score one in the bottom of the third inning when Kerri Foster (McCalla, Ala.) scored off a single to center field by Engram.
Louisville took the lead in the fifth inning when Bausher scored on a hit by Nicole Sparks.
In the bottom of the seventh, UAB tied the game when freshman Sara Christophel (Birmingham, Ala.), who pinch ran for senior Aimee Vaughn (New Orleans, La.), scored on a fielder's choice by sophomore catcher Amanda Ellis (Axis, Ala.), 2-2.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Foster hit a ground ball to Meisenburg who overthrew first base and brought in Vaughn to score the winning run of the game.
Engram and Vaughn each collected two hits in game two against the Cardinals. Stephenson (11-8) took the win for the Blazers after coming in to relieve Foster who allowed two runs on 12 hits. Foster recorded five strikeouts in her eight winnings of work.
The Blazers are up next tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. to play Louisville in the final game of the series.
