UAB's Seventh Inning Rally Sinks Herd Softball, 3-2

March 18, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Saturday, Holly Krzan drove in the only run during UAB's 1-0 win in game one. Sunday, she led the Blazers to a 3-2 come-from-behind victory thanks to a game-winning RBI single.

Senior Abigail Harter (Monmouth, Ore./Santiam Christian) suffered her second consecutive C-USA loss (8-6). Harter allowed three runs on eight hits, while fanning five batters in 6 2/3 innings. Jennifer Nelson (13-5) earned her second complete-game victory in as many games, holding Marshall to two runs on four hits.

The Herd (16-11, 3-3 C-USA) lost its first Conference USA series since dropping two out of three games to the Houston Cougars April 14-15, 2006. UAB (19-13, 2-3 C-USA) clinched its first C-USA series of the season with the win Sunday.

Krzan went 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI, while Andrea Rogers went 2-for-3 with a home run.

Aided by two second-inning Blazers errors, the Herd cracked the scoreboard first. With one out, Gina Guzzo (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) reached on a Nicole Tumlin error. After a passed ball advanced her to second, Guzzo later scored on a Rachel Schmidt (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) RBI single to right-center field.

However, the Herd was unable to expand upon its slim 1-0 lead as Marcena Bertoldo (Beaumont, Calif./Rialto) grounded out to end the inning, while leaving two runners on base.

Marshall, with runners on the corners, would use a double steal to plate its second run of the game, taking a 2-0 lead in the third inning.

J.J. Bitner (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) led off the third inning with an infield single. Bitner would then move to second on a Kristina Knecht (Concord, Calif./Daytona Beach CC) sacrifice bunt. She later advanced to third on a wild pitch before stealing home to give the Herd a 2-0 advantage.

The Herd's stranglehold on the Blazers would not last as Rogers blasted a solo home run to right-center field. Rogers' ninth home run of the season cut the Blazers' deficit to 2-1 after three innings.

UAB would prevail in the home half of the seventh inning. UAB's first two batters recorded singles, followed by a fielder's choice to the load the bases. However, a throwing error by Harter allowed Kayla Harris to score the game-tying run.

After Marshall engineered a double play, the game looked as if it may go to extra innings. That was until Krzan delivered a bloop single to shallow right field, allowing Leigh Walker to score the winning run.

The Marshall Thundering Herd will continue its six-game Spring Break road trip Tuesday with a 4 p.m. (ET) doubleheader with the Chattanooga Lady Mocs at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn.

UAB 3, Marshall 2 (03/18/07 at Birmingham, Ala.)----------------------------------------------------------------------Marshall............ 011 000 0 -  2  4  1      (16-11, 3-3 C-USA)UAB................. 001 000 2 -  3  8  3      (19-13, 2-3 C-USA)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Marshall - Harter, Abigail. UAB - NELSON, Jennifer.Win-NELSON, Jennifer(13-5)  Loss-HARTER, Abigail(8-6)  T-1:46  A-205HR UAB - ROGERS,Andrea.

UAB's Seventh Inning Rally Sinks Herd Softball, 3-2

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Players Mentioned

Marcena Bertoldo

Gina Guzzo

Abigail Harter

Kristina Knecht

Rachel Schmidt

Marshall University Athletics

UAB's Seventh Inning Rally Sinks Herd Softball, 3-2

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Players Mentioned

Marcena Bertoldo

Gina Guzzo

Abigail Harter

Kristina Knecht

Rachel Schmidt

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