The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Louisiana Tech
UAB Softball Splits Conference Doubleheader at Louisiana Tech
4/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Final Stats | Game One Box (PDF) | Game Two Box (PDF)
RUSTON, La. - The UAB softball team battled back after dropping the series opener to even the league series against Louisiana Tech as the Blazers split Saturday's doubleheader at the Lady Techsters Softball Complex.
UAB brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but the Blazers' comeback fell short as Louisiana Tech took the series opener, 6-3.
Junior Mary Warren notched her third consecutive game with a home run as she drove home four RBIs as the Blazers evened the series after topping the Lady Techsters in game two, 7-5.
"We played two very competitive games," head coach Marla Townsend said. "We fought back hard from the first game, and I liked how we came out with momentum in game two with some key hits to take a lead. We knew a good Louisiana Tech team was going to fight back. I was proud of Megan Smith to come in and get the save. We set ourselves up to come out tomorrow for a chance at a series win on the road."
Junior JoJo Fallen led UAB at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Warren went 3-for-7 at the plate with two home runs and five RBIs.
Junior Madison Hir earned her sixth victory over the season as Smith notched her first save of the year in the Blazers' game two victory.
Game One (L, 6-3)
The Lady Techsters led off the bottom of the first with a single down the left field line and a one-out walk to put two runners on the bases. Back-to-back Louisiana Tech hits, including a two-RBI single from Taria Page through the right side, put the Lady Techsters up, 3-0.
The Lady Techsters scored an unearned run as pinch runner Jessica Ball, who advanced to third on a UAB error, scored as the Blazers threw out a base runner attempting the steal second, putting Louisiana Tech on top, 4-0, after one.
Senior Caitlin Attfield extended her hit streak to eight games and broke up Bailey Allen's no-hitter in the top of the fourth with a leadoff single up the middle to be the first Blazer to reach base. Fallen followed with a walk.
After moving into scoring position on an infield groundout, Attfield scored on a passed ball to cut the Lady Techsters' lead to 4-1, but Louisiana Tech answered as Katie Smith led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to left center field to extend the lead to 5-1.
Junior Danii Fernandez notched UAB's second hit of the contest in the top of the sixth with a leadoff single up the middle. After advancing to third on a wild pitch and Blazer groundout, Fernandez scored on a sacrifice fly to center field from Fallen, cutting Louisiana Tech's lead to 5-2.
Louisiana Tech's Smith knock her second solo home run of the game in the bottom of the sixth with a one-out fly ball to left center field, putting the Lady Techsters on top, 6-2.
Warren knocked her team-leading sixth home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the seventh to slice Louisiana Tech's lead to 6-3. Senior Ashley Johnson and pinch hitter Madison Millsaps knocked singles to bring the tying run to the plate, but the UAB comeback fell short.
Cara Goodwin was tagged with the loss, falling to 8-7 on the season, as the junior allowed five runs off five hits and three walks, while striking out one over 3.0 innings. Tori Perkins pitched 3.0 innings of relief, allowing one run off two hits and one walk. The freshman struck out one batter.
Allen moved to 8-4 on the year after tossing the complete-game victory over UAB. Allen allowed three runs off four hits and one walk, but struck out just one Blazer in the contest. Preslee Gallaway earned her fourth save of the game, allowing just one hit in one inning of work.
Game Two (W, 7-5)
After trading two scoreless innings, UAB broke through in the top of the third. Fallen reached on a fielder's choice as Louisiana Tech made the force out on Attfield, who reached on an error, at second.
Senior Sara Beth Williamson doubled down the left field line to score Fallen and put UAB on top, 1-0. Warren extended her reach base streak to 14 games with a single to right field to score Williamson.
Johnson followed with a double to right center, extending her hit streak to nine games, to score pinch runner Lizzie Ryan, extending the lead to 3-0.
Back-to-back Louisiana Tech singles and a UAB error in the bottom of the third allowed the Lady Techsters to score an unearned run to cut the Blazer lead to 3-1.
Fallen drove her third home run of the season in the top of the fourth with a drive to deep center field to push the Blazer lead back to three runs, 4-1.
The Lady Techsters cut the Blazer lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth as the Techsters had runners on the corners after a double to right field, walk and fielder's choice. After Hir issued her second walk of the inning, pinch runner Lin Neyland stole home to cut UAB's lead to two runs.
Fallen drove a two-out single to shortstop, and Williamson drew a walk to put two runners on ahead of Warren in the top of the sixth. Warren notched her seventh home run of the season and her third consecutive game with a home run as she drove a three-RBI home run to center field, putting the Blazers on top, 7-2.
The Lady Techsters plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh after a walk, double and two-RBI home run from Pauline Tufi to inch within two, 7-5. After a single from Tori Charters, Krysta Tutsch doubled to right field to cut the lead within one, 7-6, but was thrown out at third attempting to leg out a triple.
Smith notched her first save of the season as she snuffed out the Lady Techster comeback to even the series.
Hir earned her sixth victory of the season as she pitched six innings, allowing five runs off seven hits and six walks. Hir struck out seven batters. Smith earned her first save of the season allowing one run off two hits in one inning of work.
UAB and the Lady Techsters square off in Sunday's rubber game at 1 p.m. CT.
For more information on the UAB softball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UABSoftball). For more on all Blazer sports teams, follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
