University of Georgia Athletics
Friday, March 5
Athens, Ga.
5:00 p.m.
University of Georgia
11-2
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UAB
8-6
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7
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H
E
UAB
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Georgia
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4
7
2
No. 19 Bulldogs Hang on to Beat UAB, 4-3
March 05, 2021 | Softball
Athens, Ga. – The UAB softball team mounted a seventh-inning rally of Friday's game against 19th-ranked Georgia, but the Bulldogs were able to halt the Blazers and hold on for the 4-3 victory at Jack Turner Stadium.
Sophomore Sydney Kuma provided the offensive spark for Bulldogs driving in three runs on two hits, one of which was her team-leading seventh homerun of the season. Freshman Ellie Armistead also recorded a pair of hits on the night. Three other Bulldogs tallied hits for the Bulldogs, with freshman Jayda Kearney notching an RBI.
Mary Wilson Avant (7-0) went the distance in her start, setting the tempo early with four-straight strikeouts to start the game. Avant pitched all seven innings for the Bulldogs with six strikeouts, giving up five hits and three runs including six shutout innings.
The Bulldogs and Blazers were locked in a pitchers' duel through two and a half innings with only one runner reaching base in that span.
The Georgia offense was ignited in the bottom half of the third with a triple from junior CJ Landrum. Kuma followed Landrum's lead with a two-run home run to centerfield. Kearney increased the lead for the Bulldogs with an RBI single to the right, 3-0.
In the fourth, Kuma continued her strong night offensively with an RBI single, allowing Armistead to score for the Bulldogs, 4-0.
The Blazers tried to launch the late comeback in the seventh inning, scoring three quick runs. Olivia Valback and KK Crocker had back-to-back RBI singles for the Blazers. Crocker was also able to score for the Blazers off an error, cutting into the Bulldog lead, 3-4. Avant and the Bulldogs were able to stop the late-inning comeback and hold on for the 4-3 win.
Georgia and UAB will square off again Saturday morning at 11 a.m. The Bulldogs will then play Mercer at 2:15 p.m.
Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer
On being able to win a close game…
"That was a fun game. I was so proud of the team. I thought we made adjustments at the plate, we played some really good defense, and Mary [Wilson Avant] was awesome. Mary was outstanding tonight in the circle. Probably my highlight of the game, really a couple things, I thought Sydney Kuma was fantastic on defense and clutch at the plate, CJ [Landrum] was clutch at the plate, and the play from left field, Sydney Chambley, to the plate to get the runner out was awesome. There was just a lot of good stuff. It was a really good team effort, a lot of scrap and fight tonight."
On having Mary Wilson Avant in the circle…
"I think it's fun to play behind Mary [Wilson Avant]. She just goes out there and does whatever she can for the team. She is one of the most selfless individuals that I've ever met. She's just out there putting her heart in it and fighting for the team."
On the keys to the team's offensive success…
"I think they've been working really hard. I think Coach Tony [Baldwin] has been working really hard with the hitters. He's been working a lot with them on their approach and their mindset and being able to make adjustments."
On what the team can improve on…
"I was proud of our adjustment on the first pitcher. I think we can adjust better on the second, and that's one of our goals to continue to get better at throughout the year."
Sophomore Sydney Kuma
On the mindset of being the leadoff hitter…
"Coach always tells us that as a leadoff, or whoever starts off that inning, it's about not letting the pitcher give you bad pitches and not swinging at bad pitches because that's just going to set up the next person. I think it's really just trying to help my team be successful in the end."
On her mindset in the box…
"After that first at bat, and I didn't do so well, I'm just thinking I'm going to get on this time, I'm going to get a hit. It's just positive things, and that really helps me in the end."
Graduate Mary Wilson Avant
On the most successful part of her game…
"I think it's just about working a lot of different pitches, trying to work pitches in different counts. That comes from practice and trying to put myself in those difficult situations so that in the game throwing a pitch that I maybe wasn't as comfortable before throwing in a certain count, I am now. I think it's just throwing a lot of different pitches in a lot of different counts."
On what getting the win tonight means for the team…
"I think it's a big team win. It was an exciting game because we were fighting hard and so was the other team, and that's what makes a fun game and a challenging game. We definitely grew tonight, and we'll take that into the rest of the weekend.
Sophomore Sydney Kuma provided the offensive spark for Bulldogs driving in three runs on two hits, one of which was her team-leading seventh homerun of the season. Freshman Ellie Armistead also recorded a pair of hits on the night. Three other Bulldogs tallied hits for the Bulldogs, with freshman Jayda Kearney notching an RBI.
Mary Wilson Avant (7-0) went the distance in her start, setting the tempo early with four-straight strikeouts to start the game. Avant pitched all seven innings for the Bulldogs with six strikeouts, giving up five hits and three runs including six shutout innings.
The Bulldogs and Blazers were locked in a pitchers' duel through two and a half innings with only one runner reaching base in that span.
The Georgia offense was ignited in the bottom half of the third with a triple from junior CJ Landrum. Kuma followed Landrum's lead with a two-run home run to centerfield. Kearney increased the lead for the Bulldogs with an RBI single to the right, 3-0.
In the fourth, Kuma continued her strong night offensively with an RBI single, allowing Armistead to score for the Bulldogs, 4-0.
The Blazers tried to launch the late comeback in the seventh inning, scoring three quick runs. Olivia Valback and KK Crocker had back-to-back RBI singles for the Blazers. Crocker was also able to score for the Blazers off an error, cutting into the Bulldog lead, 3-4. Avant and the Bulldogs were able to stop the late-inning comeback and hold on for the 4-3 win.
Georgia and UAB will square off again Saturday morning at 11 a.m. The Bulldogs will then play Mercer at 2:15 p.m.
Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer
On being able to win a close game…
"That was a fun game. I was so proud of the team. I thought we made adjustments at the plate, we played some really good defense, and Mary [Wilson Avant] was awesome. Mary was outstanding tonight in the circle. Probably my highlight of the game, really a couple things, I thought Sydney Kuma was fantastic on defense and clutch at the plate, CJ [Landrum] was clutch at the plate, and the play from left field, Sydney Chambley, to the plate to get the runner out was awesome. There was just a lot of good stuff. It was a really good team effort, a lot of scrap and fight tonight."
On having Mary Wilson Avant in the circle…
"I think it's fun to play behind Mary [Wilson Avant]. She just goes out there and does whatever she can for the team. She is one of the most selfless individuals that I've ever met. She's just out there putting her heart in it and fighting for the team."
On the keys to the team's offensive success…
"I think they've been working really hard. I think Coach Tony [Baldwin] has been working really hard with the hitters. He's been working a lot with them on their approach and their mindset and being able to make adjustments."
On what the team can improve on…
"I was proud of our adjustment on the first pitcher. I think we can adjust better on the second, and that's one of our goals to continue to get better at throughout the year."
Sophomore Sydney Kuma
On the mindset of being the leadoff hitter…
"Coach always tells us that as a leadoff, or whoever starts off that inning, it's about not letting the pitcher give you bad pitches and not swinging at bad pitches because that's just going to set up the next person. I think it's really just trying to help my team be successful in the end."
On her mindset in the box…
"After that first at bat, and I didn't do so well, I'm just thinking I'm going to get on this time, I'm going to get a hit. It's just positive things, and that really helps me in the end."
Graduate Mary Wilson Avant
On the most successful part of her game…
"I think it's just about working a lot of different pitches, trying to work pitches in different counts. That comes from practice and trying to put myself in those difficult situations so that in the game throwing a pitch that I maybe wasn't as comfortable before throwing in a certain count, I am now. I think it's just throwing a lot of different pitches in a lot of different counts."
On what getting the win tonight means for the team…
"I think it's a big team win. It was an exciting game because we were fighting hard and so was the other team, and that's what makes a fun game and a challenging game. We definitely grew tonight, and we'll take that into the rest of the weekend.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Avant, Mary Wilson (7-0)
L: CONRAD, Parker (2-1)
Batting:
2B: CROCKER, KK 1 ; READEAUX, Jolie 1
RBI: VALBAK, Olivia 1 ; CROCKER, KK 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MITHCELL, Makalah 1 ; BEAN, Sam 1 ; CROCKER, KK 1
SB: MITHCELL, Makalah 1
CS: HEGH, Faith 1
Batting:
3B: Landrum, CJ 1
HR: Kuma, Sydney 1
RBI: Kuma, Sydney 3 ; Kearney, Jayda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kuma, Sydney 1 ; Sikes, Savana 1 ; Armistead, Ellie 1 ; Landrum, CJ 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF/1B
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
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