The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Softball Wraps Up Home Stand Against Western Kentucky
4/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 9, 2008
Gametracker: Game One | Game Two
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The UAB softball team concludes its season-long six-game home stand when it hosts Western Kentucky in a doubleheader Thursday at George Ward Park.
First pitch for the twin bill is schedule for 4 p.m. The second game will follow.
The Blazers' series victory over Tulsa last weekend left them with a 20-25 overall record and 7-8 record in Conference USA play. The Hilltoppers enter Thursday with a 14-20 overall record and 2-7 mark in the Sun Belt Conference.
UAB won the final two games with Tulsa in thrilling fashion, rallying late in both contests for the 2-1 series victory. The wins snapped a five-game losing streak and moved UAB into fourth place in the conference.
Western Kentucky takes to the field for the first time since April 1 and enters with a four-game losing streak. The Hilltoppers last win came on March 26 when they defeated No. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette and earned the 2-1 series victory.
Thursday's will be the first time that the Blazers and Hilltoppers will face each other. Western Kentucky will be the 11th team this season that the Blazers have faced for the first time.
Holly Krzan continues to be the biggest offensive threat in the Blazers' lineup. Krzan leads the team in several categories, including runs (31), hits (38), doubles (12) and slugging percentage (.504).
Krzan became the UAB career leader in runs when she scored on a wild pitch in the series opener with Tulsa. She broke the UAB all-time record for doubles and total bases this season. She is one start shy of tying Cliffanie Engram for most games started in a UAB uniform.
Andrea Rogers continues to hit above .300 on the year and is enjoying her finest defensive season behind the plate. Rogers has one homer, 17 RBI and 22 runs on the year.
Leigh Walker hit .278 in six games last week, which included two homers and a five-game hitting streak. Krzan collected two hits, walked four times and scored three runs against Tulsa. Both Walker and Krzan hit homers in the Blazers' game 6-5 victory over Tulsa.
Jennifer Nelson and Kayla Harris have combined for a season ERA of 2.86, down 63 points from its season-high on March 9. Nelson won her 11th game of the season Sunday and has 192 strikeouts for the year. Harris won her career-high ninth game and has team-low ERA of 2.83.
The Hilltoppers' offense is headed by Lindsay Antone, who has 10 home runs and 21 RBI in 34 games played this season. Her .379 batting average, 22 runs and 39 hits leads the club.
Rebecca Horesky has contributed six homers, 18 RBI and 14 runs to the Hilltoppers' lineup this season. Shelby Smith and Sam Cronk each have 14 RBI and have combined to hit seven home runs.
The pitching duo of Ryan Rogge and Jennifer Kempf has combined to throw 220 of WKU's 230 innings. Rogge has a team-high nine wins and team-low ERA of 3.21 in 113 1-3 innings pitched. She has 113 strikeouts on the season and just 27 walks.
Kempf is 5-8 and with 39 Ks and 28 walks in 106 2-3 innings worked.
UAB heads to Huntington, W.Va for a three-game series with Marshall beginning Saturday. The Blazers return home for doubleheader with Troy on April 17.
