March 10, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Lady Tiger softball team will travel to Birmingham, Ala., this weekend for its first-ever Conference USA series, as the U of M will face UAB in a three-game set Saturday and Sunday, March 11-12.

Memphis and UAB are slated to square off in a double-header Saturday, before closing the series with a single game on Sunday.

The Lady Tigers, at 8-7, enter the match-up in sixth-place in the C-USA standings, while the Lady Blazers, with an 11-6 mark, are in a tie for third place.

UAB is coming off a sweep of Troy in double-header action Tuesday, following a victory and a 3-1 mark in the Magic City Classic last weekend. The Lady Blazers currently are on a four-game win streak and have won seven of their last eight.

Memphis, on the other hand, goes into the series after a week off following a tough trip to the Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Lady Tigers gained just one win in the North Carolina tournament, finishing with a 1-4 mark, as they struggled offensively, plating just five runs in the five games.

The U of M bats will look to reverse that trend this weekend against a UAB pitching staff that ranks sixth in the conference with a 3.29 earned run average, while giving up 5.47 hits and 3.35 runs per contest.

Memphis pitchers currently rank fourth in the league with a 2.18 ERA, allowing 2.6 runs and 4.2 hits per game.

Action in Birmingham is set to get underway at 1 p.m. Saturday with the first game of the twinbill. Sunday's game is also slated to begin at 1 p.m.