Box Score - UAB 8, South Alabama 3.pdf
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB scored six runs in the first inning and the University of South Alabama softball team left a season-high 12 runners on base Tuesday night as the Blazers picked up an 8-3 win over the Jaguars at Mary Bowers Field.
"I thought we had some situations in the game where we could get back in it, but we didn't get the job done at the plate," South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said. "There were some places in the game where with two strikes, we have to battle, put the ball in play and make them have to do something, and we didn't do that tonight.
"Right now, there are pockets of some really good stuff and pockets of stuff that we need to do better. We have to figure that part out and put it together."
USA's four- and five- hitters combined to leave nine of those runners on base and the Jags had runners in scoring position in each inning.
South Alabama (17-7, 0-3 SBC) will now return home to open up a three-game home Sun Belt Conference series against first-year league member Coastal Carolina with a pair of games on Saturday, March 18 (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) and a single game on Sunday, March 19 (12 p.m.) at Jaguar Field.
The loss to the Blazers snaps a nine-game win streak in the series by South Alabama. USA is still in search of its first true road-win of the season as the Jags are now 0-6 this spring on an opponent's home field. The loss also extends South's current skid to four.
Kristian Foster was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for the Jaguars with a RBI, while Kaleigh Todd and Megan Harris each recorded two hits apiece.
Making her first start of her career, freshman pitcher Chandler Sparkman (1-1) went just two-thirds of an inning and allowed six runs – five earned on four hits and a walk. Devin Brown entered in relief in the opening inning and in her 5.1 innings of work, struck out eight and allowed two runs on five hits.
UAB (9-14) was led offensively by Lizzie Ryan and Madison Millsaps. Ryan was 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs driven in, while Millsaps was 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and pair of runs scored. Analyse Petree also scored a two runs for the Blazers in the win.
Claire Blount posted her fifth complete game of the season and in her seven innings of work allowed 11 hits and six walks, but gave up just three runs and struck out five.
South Alabama threatened to get on the board in the top half of the opening frame, but left a pair of runners stranded in scoring position. UAB would make USA pay in the bottom half plating six runs on four hits and one Jag error to take a 6-0 lead.
UAB got off to a quick start as the first three Blazers reached to load the bases and Millsaps plated UAB's first run of the contest on a RBI-bloop single to left to bring in Destini England who walked to lead things off. After a line out to the pitcher Rachel Dunsford singled to center to score Danii Fernandez. Designated player Mary Warren was then hit by a Sparkman pitch to bring in the third Blazer run of the inning.
The Blazers added two more runs on Ryan's two-run single back up the middle that bounced off the bag at second. UAB's final run of the inning came on a Jaguar error when making USA first baseman Abby Krzywiecki dropped what would have been the third out of the inning, allowing Natalie Erwin to score and make it 6-0.
The Jaguars trimmed the deficit with a pair of runs in the second as Todd beat out an infield single to score Savanna Mayo who had walked on four-straight to lead the inning off. With the bases loaded, Foster worked the count full after being down 0-2 in the count and earned a walk to score pinch runner Taylor Stevens. USA could have done more damage, but Blount was able to get Amanda Minahan looking at a called third strike with the bases loaded to end the threat.
UAB quickly got the two runs back in the bottom of the second when Millsaps drove a 0-1 pitch over the wall in right center to stretch the Blazer lead back out to 8-2. The two-run homer was Millsaps' fifth of the season and scored Petree who reached on a wild pitch when strike three was low in the dirt and got away from Jag catcher Aly Smith.
In its half of the third, South Alabama trimmed another run of the Blazer lead. Haleigh Lowe led off the inning with a double to right and then moved to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Smith lined a single that Fernandez was unable to handle at third, allowing Lowe to come home and cut the deficit to 8-3.
Jaguars record recorded three hits in the sixth inning but as was the story for most of the game, USA left a pair of runners stranded in scoring position – the third-straight inning that South had left two runners in scoring position.
Looking to ignite a late-inning rally, Mayo doubled on the first pitch of the seventh, but the Blazers turned in a couple of outstanding defensive plays and Blount recorded her fifth strikeout of the night to end the game.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear. All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/sports/2013/3/13/Bull%20Pen%20Club.aspx?id=27
—USA—
