April 12, 2008

Gametracker: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. --- The UAB softball embarks on its first road trip in six games to face Marshall in a three-game Conference USA series beginning Saturday at the Dot Hicks Softball Complex.

The Blazers winners of four in a row are 22-25 overall and 7-8 in the league. The Herd have a 17-24 record and 6-7 mark in the league. The two schools are ranked fourth and fifth respectively in league.

Saturday's doubleheader is schedule to begin at 1 p.m. EDT with the second game to follow. The series finale will be played Sunday at Noon.

The Blazers are coming off a doubleheader sweep of Western Kentucky in Birmingham Thursday. The Thundering Herd split a mid-week series Ohio.

This will be the third C-USA series matchup between the clubs. Each team has also earned one series victory. The Herd won the 2006 series, while the Blazers took two games in 2007.

Marshall holds a 5-3 all-time series lead with UAB.

UAB's sweep of Western Kentucky was due in large part from pitchers Kayla Harris and Jennifer Nelson, who combined to hold the Hilltoppers to seven hits in 14 innings.

Harris allowed one run, struck out four and gave up three hits against the Hilltoppers. It was the third time in five starts that she held an opponent to three or fewer hits. The righty lowered her ERA to 2.73 and recorded her 10th victory of the season.

Nelson, who allowed four hits and one run to the Hilltoppers, has a 2.81 ERA and 12-17 record. She has a chance this weekend at passing the 200-K mark for the third time in her career. Nelson has 193 coming into the series.

Andrea Rogers went 3-for-7 against Western Kentucky, raising her team-high batting average to .309 for the year. She also has one home run, 17 RBI and 23 runs scored on the year.

Holly Krzan, who became the Blazers' all-time leader in games started in the second game Thursday, has been the Blazers' most consistent offensive player this year. She brings a .299 batting average, with team-highs in runs scored (31), hits (40), RBI (21) and doubles (12) into the contests.

The Herd are led by Rachel Folden, who was named one of 10 finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class Award Monday. Folden's .431 batting average, 40 runs, 18 doubles and 12 home runs lead Marshall's offense.

Rachel Sofie has a .381 average and 18 RBI on the year. Samantha Rodriguez is hitting .271 with eight home runs and a team-high 30 RBI. Caitlyn Jackson adds a .346 average and 16 runs on the year.

Autumn Mitchell (6-3) has been the pitcher with the best year for Marshall this season. Her 2.73 ERA in 59 innings pitched leads the club. Jackson (7-14) has thrown 131 innings for the Herd, while striking out 63 this season.