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Softball To Face Memphis In C-USA Championship Opening Game
May 7, 2008
Championship Central HOUSTON --- The Eighth-seeded UAB softball team is set to open the 2008 Conference USA Championship Thursday, facing ninth-seeded Memphis in the first game of the postseason tournament at the Cougar Softball Stadium. The Blazers have a 24-23 overall record and 9-15 record in league play, while the Tigers have 24-29 overall and 4-18 record in conference games. Thursday's opening game of the C-USA Championship gets underway at 9 a.m. CDT Thursday. The winner of the UAB-Memphis contest will advance to face the First-seeded Houston Cougars (48-8, 21-2 C-USA) at 5:30 p.m. later that evening. UAB will be making its sixth overall appearance in the tournament and owns a 5-10 all-time record in the tournament. The Blazers made a run at the 2002 title as the third seed, eventually losing in the championship game to DePaul. The Blazers have a 4-3 record against teams (East Carolina, Houston and Southern Miss) still playing in the conference. The tournament's opening game will pit the Blazers and Tigers against each other for the fourth time this season. Earlier in the year the Blazers swept a three-game series in Birmingham. UAB scored 19 runs in the three games, the second most runs scored in a three-game series in UAB history. In their 9-1 victory the Blazers had an eight-hit, eight-run inning and banged out a season-high 12 hits. This year's championship is a one-loss elimination tournament with the champion receiving an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship. Saturday's championship game will aired on CBS College Sports at 2 p.m. Other first-day matchups on the include No. 2 UCF facing No. 7 Southern Miss (Noon), No. 3 Tulsa taking on No. 6 UTEP (2:30) and No. 4 Marshall playing No. 5 East Carolina (8:00 p.m.). The C-USA semi finals will be played at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Friday.
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