East Carolina University
UAB
Pirates Complete Sweep At UAB
March 22, 2009 | Softball
March 22, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Cristen Aona and Jessica Johnson each drove in a run to lead East Carolina to a 2-1 victory over UAB (10-17, 3-6 C-USA) on Sunday afternoon at George Ward Park. With the win, East Carolina (19-9, 6-3 C-USA) joined Tulsa as the only Conference USA squads to sweep a league series on the road this season. Toni Paisley, 14-4 on the year, earned the victory in the circle while striking out 10 Blazers and allowing just four hits.
Along with her RBI, Johnson also recorded a walk in the game, giving her 85 free passes and 131 RBIs in her career. She now sits in fourth-place on the ECU all-time walks list and in sole possession of 11th on the Conference USA career-RBI chart.
For the second time in as many games, East Carolina scored in the top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead. The Pirates loaded the bases with nobody out on a Charina Sumner single to left, Christina Merrida being hit by a pitch and Johnson’s walk. Aona drove in the inning’s lone run as she continued her hot streak with a single to right that plated Merrida for the one-run advantage.
UAB threatened in the bottom of the first, putting runners on first and second with only one out before Paisley recorded a strikeout and groundout to end the inning. Both teams went quietly in the second and third and each put one runner on in the fourth inning.
Neither runner scored, however, keeping the score at 1-0 East Carolina. In the top of the fifth, the Pirates added another run as Kaui Tom led off with a single to right, moved to second on Sumner’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Johnson’s double, giving ECU a 2-0 lead.
The Blazers scored their only run in the bottom of the sixth when Andrea Rogers hit her second single of the game and scored on Amanda Allen’s two-out double to left field.
UAB threatened to tie the score in the bottom of the seventh as Laura Callaway reached on an error to start the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kayla Harris. Paisley then induced back-to-back pop outs to end the game and preserve the win.
East Carolina will take the field again on Wednesday at UNC Wilmington to play the last of nine-straight road games. The Pirates and Seahawks will play a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
