April 8, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Amber Lamb was 3-for-6 at the plate for UCF as the Golden Knights fell to UAB 2-1 and 2-0 Saturday afternoon at George Ward Park. The Blazers improved to 23-16 on the season and 9-5 in Conference USA, while the Golden Knights fell to 13-28 and 0-14.
Lamb had one double and one walk, while Brittany Walters had the team's lone RBI.
Game One:
The Golden Knights jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after the first. Kacie Feaster singled to the pitcher and then scored on a Walters double to right center.
The Blazers evened the score at one apiece in the second inning after Andrea Rogers was hit by a pitch to lead off. Rogers advanced to second on a fielding error and then scored after two wild pitches.
UAB threatened to pull ahead in the fifth inning when Kayla Davis led off with a double to center field and then advanced to third on a passed ball. The Blazers were unable to plate the run.
The Blazers loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh only for UCF pitcher Allison Kime to get three ground outs to end the threat and force extra innings.
UAB won game one in the bottom of the eighth after loading the bases with one out. Nicole Whitlock scored the go ahead run off a wild pitch to end the game.
Jennifer Nelson (10-7) earned the win in the circle for the Blazers, pitching the complete game and giving up one run on three hits with 14 strikeouts. Kime (9-12) was tagged with the loss, going 7.1 innings and giving up two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.
Game Two:
The Golden Knights retired the first two Blazers in the second inning before giving up two UAB runs. Leigh Walker reached on a fielding error and then scored when Amanda Antonovich hit a double to left field. Antonovich advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Kayla Harris single to left field.
UCF threatened in the fifth inning when Lamb hit a double to left center, however the Golden Knights were unable to bring her in.
Harris (9-4) earned the win for the Blazers, going the distance and giving up no runs on two hits with five strikeouts. Ashley Baker fell to 1-8 in the circle, giving up two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.
The Golden Knights and the Blazers return to the diamond Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. for the final game of the series. UCF travels to USF for a mid-week game Wednesday before heading home to host Memphis next Friday and Saturday.