The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Tulsa
Blazers Fall To Tulsa In Regular Season Finale, 3-0
5/6/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 6, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Tulsa softball team broke a scoreless tie with a three-run sixth inning and went on to defeat UAB, 3-0, Sunday afternoon to claim the Conference USA regular season championship at the UAB Softball Field.
With the victory, Tulsa (38-12, 19-5 C-USA) claimed the league's regular season title and the Blazers (36-19, 17-7 C-USA) finished in second place for the first time in school history, topping last season's third-place finish.
The Blazers clinched the No. 2 seed, the highest-ever in program history, for the upcoming 2012 C-USA Softball Championship that will be hosted on UAB's campus. The tournament begins Thursday, May 10 and the Blazers are set to play at 7 p.m. CT.
"We came out and played our heart out, but I don't think we played our best game," UAB head coach Marla Townsend said. "I'm alright with our best game still to come. I think we finished our regular season on a successful note."
Senior Amber Torres (10-4) pitched her eighth complete game of the season and held the Golden Hurricane scoreless through five innings. She gave up six hits and struck out five batters.
Lacey Middlebrooks (18-5) earned the win, pitching a one-hit complete-game shutout.
At the plate, Middlebrooks cranked a three-run homer over the left field wall with two outs in the sixth inning to lead Tulsa to victory.
UAB's lone hit came in the sixth inning off the bat of junior Whitney Fletcher.
"I'm proud of the way we came out and battled. We had outstanding defense and I think Amber pitched a great game. We got some solid contact with ball, but they made the plays.
"All around I felt it was a good game. Yes, I'd rather the outcome be different, but being the No. 2 seed heading into the conference tournament and playing it at home is not a bad spot to be in."
