March 21, 2008

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Kayla Harris and Cameron Skates guided the UAB softball team to a 6-4 victory in its Conference USA series opener against Memphis Friday evening at George Ward Park. Harris went 2-for-3 and had two RBI while Skates went 3-for-3 and drove in three runs, including the game winning for the Blazers.

The Blazers improve to a 15-18 overall and 2-5 in Conference USA play, while the Tigers fall to 16-12 and 0-3 in the league.

Skates earned her RBI in a variety of ways, including a hit-by-pitch which turned into the game winning run for UAB. She also plated runs with a line drive of Kimber Bossom's left shin in the third and a line-drive double to left center in the sixth.

Harris' first RBI gave the Blazers a 1-0 lead in the first inning while her second RBI put the Blazers ahead 4-2 in the fourth inning.

The Blazers put to rest a four-game losing streak and as well as ended Memphis' four-game winning streak in the series. The game also marked the Blazers' 500th game in program history.

UAB walked a season-high nine times in the victory and tied a team-high set against UTEP last year. Senior Holly Krzan walked four times out of the leadoff spot for the Blazers. She became the first UAB player to record four walks in a single game. It also leaves her five walks shy of tying Cliffanie Engram for the UAB all-time lead.

Andrea Rogers and Amanda Allen would walk twice.

She would turn two walks into runs for UAB, including the Blazers' first-inning run. Andrea Rogers and Amanda Allen would walk twice.

It was a hard battled game as Memphis rallied in the fourth and sixth innings, but UAB responded with runs in its next at bats to keep the Tigers at bay.

A pinch-hit walk by Maddie McKinley and sacrifice fly by Leila Dolfo helped the Tigers pull even at 2-2 in the fourth. UAB responded with a three-run inning something the Blazers' have lacked recently.

Leigh Walker delivered with a sharp single to left scoring pinch runner Mary Kendall Butler. Harris drove in a run with a bases-loaded bloop single that fell on the left side of the infield. She kept the bases loaded for Skates who was hit on her left hand by Bossom's delivery.

Memphis pulled the deficit to 5-4 in the sixth on Blazer miscues, the only downside in the Blazers victory. Butler misplayed a routine fly ball to left while Walker couldn't handle a low throw from Krzan at second base. Both runs went uncredited.

Skates gave the Blazers breathing in their at bat, with a double just over the outstretched glove of Heather Moss at short and past the left fielder Leandra Hines trying to cut the ball off before reaching the gap.

The Blazers' Jennifer Nelson earned the victory and improved to 9-12 on the season. Bossom the losing pitcher moves to 7-5.

Memphis had a chance to do damage in the seventh, but a harmless groundout to Skates put the game in the books for the Blazers.

Nelson threw 96 of her 169 pitches for strikes which resulted in eight Ks for the senior. She allowed just five hits and one earned run in her. It was the 18th complete game of the year for the lefty who is now 11 complete games behind Kerri Foster for the UAB all-time lead.

The final two games of the series will be held starting at 1 p.m. Saturday at George Ward Park.