Box Score

May 8, 2008

HOUSTON - Game one of the 2008 Conference USA Softball Championship at the Cougar Softball Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston provided the first upset of the event as No. 9 Memphis downed No. 8 UAB, 8-6.

The Tigers pounded out 14 hits and scored six runs in the third and fourth innings to rally for just their second victory ever in the C-USA Championship.

UAB (24-35) got on the board first in the bottom half of the first inning to begin the scoring. Caley Walden singled to the left side with one out and then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Lindsay Kelso. Holly Krzan then reached on an error by Leandra Hines that allowed Walden to score.

Memphis (25-29) responded to tie the game in the top half of the second on a Kaliey Kassner home run to dead center field. The blast was her sixth of the season and scored her 16th RBI and 16th run of the season.

UAB took the lead again briefly, 2-1, in its half of the second after Cameron Skates doubled to begin the frame. Skates advanced to third on a wild pitch from Memphis starter Kimber Bossom and later scored on a fielder's choice. With Nelson on second, Bossom struck out Leigh Walker and induced a ground out by Walden to end the inning.

The Tigers erupted for four runs in the top of the third to reclaim the lead, 5-2. Leandra Hines slapped a one-out single through the left side and then stole second. Kelso then walked and after Kailey Kassner struck out, Tori Gross singled to center to score Hines. Gross swiped second on the next pitch to place runners at second and third, before Leigh Rowan ripped a home run down the left field line.

Rowan now has six home runs on the season and 21 RBI to go along with 15 runs scored.

UAB would not surrender, and once again tied the game with three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. Krzan and Andrea Rogers led off the inning with back-to-back doubles and then Kayla Harris brought her team within a run with her single up the middle. Later, Laura Callaway singled to move Harris to third and she then scored on a wild pitch to give the Blazers the lead.

Memphis took the lead again in the top of the fourth, this time for good, when Lindsay Kelso scored Brittany Gooch from third on an infield single to second base. It was Kelso's 28th RBI and Gooch's 12th run scored of the year.

UAB had its best chance to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Harris stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and her team trailing 7-6. After fouling off multiple pitches, Harris hit a pop fly to center field that was caught the warning track to end the theat.

Memphis is now 15-1 when scoring six runs or more this season. Their only loss came in a 12-11 defeat to East Carolina. Junior Brittany Gooch had her second multi-hit game of the year with two singles. The 14 hits is the eighth time this season Memphis has reached the 10 hit mark. The Tigers' season high is 18 against Alabama A&M.

The win snapped an eight-game losing streak for Memphis, which tied a program record. The Tigers are now 2-0 in the opening game of the C-USA Championship. Bossom improves to 11-15 and matched her career high with eight strikeouts. She allowed four earned runs on six hits with three walks.

UAB starter Jennifer Nelson finished her career tied for first all-time in the UAB annals with 58 career wins and today marked her record 115th career start. She concluded her career with 804 K's, fifth all-time in the C-USA record book.

With the two home runs, the Tigers matched the program homer record with 47, equaling the team's mark from last season. Memphis hit the homers in seven fewer games from last year.

The Tigers advance to play top-seeded Houston at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.