BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB Softball lost its final home game of the season after leading 9-3 entering the sixth inning. Despite a six-run first inning, South Florida overcame its deficit with a seven-run sixth inning and four runs in the seventh inning. The Blazers totaled 15, the third most this season,\u00a0but gave up a season-high 17 hits. UAB gave up seven unearned runs as a team, with all seven of South Florida’s runs in the sixth inning being unearned.<\/p>\n
UAB’s offense exploded for seven hits in the first inning, including five from seniors. Ashlyn Shirah<\/a> started the rally with a leadoff single to right field. Hannah Dorsett<\/a> bunted Shirah into scoring position, and Madeline Flammia<\/a> singled to put runners on the corners.<\/p>\n Carlie Wilkins<\/a> put the Blazers on the board with a single down the left field line, scoring Shirah. Olivia Tindell<\/a> followed Wilkins’ single with a double to left centerfield, scoring Flammia. Kaily Collett<\/a> drove in two runs with a single to left centerfield, putting the Blazers up 4-1.<\/p>\n Jaycee Holt<\/a> singled to centerfield, the last of the four starting seniors to record a first-inning hit. Shirah capped off the first inning scoring for the Blazers with a single just out of the first baseman’s reach, scoring Collett and Holt.<\/p>\n South Florida chipped away a couple of runs from the UAB lead. The Bulls doubled in the third inning, scoring a runner from second. South Florida then hit a leadoff home run in the fifth to pull within three runs.<\/p>\n UAB responded in the fifth innings with a leadoff double by Antonia Henderson<\/a>, then loaded the bases with a Holt walk and Shirah’s third hit of the day. Dorsett placed a hit into left field, moving each runner up and scoring Henderson to take a 7-3 lead.<\/p>\n Allyson Smith<\/a> pinch hit with the bases loaded and two outs, dropping a ball into right field, scoring both Holt and Shirah for her first RBI of the season.<\/p>\n The Bulls returned with a seven-run sixth inning, scoring all of their runs with two outs. A pair of UAB errors extended the inning for South Florida, including an obstruction call to negate an outfield assist. Another South Florida single and an RBI double set up the Bulls’ three-run home run to left field to tie the game.<\/p>\n UAB led off the sixth inning with a pair of hard singles from Tindell and Henderson. Collett bunted both runners into scoring position. Bennett walked for the second time to load the bases. The Blazers failed to convert, leaving the bases loaded after a hard-hit line drive out to the right fielder.<\/p>\n South Florida tacked onto its lead in the seventh inning with a four-hit inning. The Bulls started the inning with a walk, then doubled to set up an RBI fielder’s choice with an additional run scoring on an error. An RBI double and an RBI single scored two more for South Florida.<\/p>\n Hannah Cole<\/a> got her second consecutive Sunday start. Cole went 2.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and a walk. Caroline McLendon<\/a> relieved Cole in the third inning, pitching 2.2 innings total. McLendon allowed one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out two Bulls.<\/p>\n Caitlin Russell<\/a> ran out for the sixth inning and earned two outs before six unearned runs came across under her watch. Tait Davidson<\/a> got the final out in the sixth inning, giving up one run in the inning before allowing four earned runs in seventh inning without recording an out.<\/p>\n