BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A two-hit inning was all UAB needed to end the University of Memphis’ season as the Tigers fell 2-0 in the opening day of the Conference USA Championship on Thursday night.
The U of M (20-37) came into the game as the No. 7 seed and falls to the tournament host for the second-straight season. No. 2 UAB (37-19) advances on to play No. 3 Marshall in the semifinals on Friday.
Memphis out hit UAB 4-3, but a leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth followed by a pinch hit two-run homer by Issa Brown provided the only runs in the game.
The Tigers had four hits, including leadoff singles in the first and seventh inning by Morgan Mosby and Jessica Phillips and a two-out double by Laura Curtis in the sixth. But Memphis struggled to record a second hit in the innings and stranded all four runners.
Memphis sophomore Ellen Roberts (11-19) cruised through the first four innings, allowing just an infield single and retiring 11-straight heading into the fifth. But a leadoff double by Kristen McGrath broke up the consecutive streak and allowed the Blazers to take the lead on Brown’s second home run of the season.
Roberts did not allow a walk and the only Blazers to reach base were the infield single in the first and the two extra base hits in the fifth.
UAB’s Lannah Campbell (15-6) pitched the complete game shutout. She struck out seven and did not allow a walk. Campbell retired 13-straight batters before Curtis broke up the streak with a two-out double in the sixth.
