BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Bailee Baldwin went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs to back seven scoreless innings from Lizzy Fox as UTSA took the series with a 3-1 victory over UAB in Sunday's finale at Mary Bowers Field.
With the victory, the Roadrunners (20-29, 11-10 C-USA) claimed their third Conference USA series of the season and first since taking two-of-three at Charlotte. Fox finished the weekend with a pair of wins in the circle and the sophomore did not allow a run over her last 14 innings against the Blazers (23-28, 13-8 C-USA).
Randee Crawford also had a pair of hits, including her third double of the season, while Angelica Niño added an RBI single to help lead the offense.
Like it did in the second game of Saturday's double header, UTSA struck first as it scored three runs, all with two outs, in the top of the second.
Jade Smith started the rally with a leadoff walk and moved to second on Stephanie Money's sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Niño ripped a single through the right side that scored Smith for a 1-0 lead. Baldwin then followed with a no-doubt, two-run homer to right field. The blast, which was her fourth of the spring, extended the cushion to 3-0.
That would prove to be plenty for Fox, who kept UAB off the scoreboard through the first four innings. However, lightning and light rain moved into the area and caused a delay of about 50 minutes during the top of the fifth.
Following the weather delay, reliever Chelsea Parker gave up a pair of infield singles in the bottom of the fifth before Fox returned to the circle. The Blazers broke through with a run on a bases-loaded walk, but Fox limited the damage by getting Amy Johnson to fly out to end the inning.
UTSA left two runners on base in the sixth and seventh as it tried to extend the advantage. Fox yielded a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but got Sarah Beth Williamson to ground out and end the game.
In all, Fox allowed no runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout as she improved to 10-10 and lowered her ERA for the season to 2.44. Meanwhile, Cara Goodwin took the loss with three runs on six hits along with a pair of walks and four strikeouts to fall to 13-9.
UTSA will close the regular season with a three-game series against C-USA Champion Florida Atlantic (44-7, 19-2 C-USA), May 7-8, at Roadrunner Field.
