BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The first pitch of the 2021 Conference USA Softball Championship was delivered Wednesday afternoon at the WKU Softball Complex in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The league’s top eight teams are battling for an automatic NCAA bid this week in a four-day tournament that culminates in the title game at noon CT Saturday on CBS Sports Network.
 
Wednesday saw four single-elimination games played with No. 3 seed Charlotte and No. 4 seed WKU advancing out of the first round. Thursday marked the start of the tournament’s double-elimination portion with two quarterfinal contests at 2 and 4:30 p.m. CT. Friday features three games including the winner's and loser's bracket semifinals. All games leading up to the championship will be broadcast on ESPN+. Coverage of the tournament, including live stat and video links are available on conferenceusa.com’s Softball Championship Central page.

Game 6: (2) UAB 5, (3) Charlotte 2 | Box Score
 
No. 2 seed UAB held on to win its first C-USA Championship game in its first appearance since 2018 with a 5-2 decision over No. 3 Charlotte Thursday night. The Blazers advance to take on No. 1 seed North Texas in the semifinals at noon Friday. The 49ers will meet No. 4 WKU in the loser’s bracket at 2:30 p.m.

UAB (30-18) posted five runs on seven hits, the bulk of the production coming from senior Analyse Petree, junior Jenna Olszewski and freshman Olivia Valbak, who combined to go 6-for-9 with three RBI and three runs.

Junior right-hander Amy Woodham (10-8) allowed two earned runs on six hits, three walks and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings for the win. Sophomore Sarah Cespedes was lights out in 3.1 relief innings and went without giving up a hit to earn the save.

Woodham pitched out of a bases loaded jam in back-to-back innings, the first with a strikeout dealt on a full count to open the game. In the second inning, she threw a ground ball for the force out at third. The righty also stranded two in the third inning with her second strikeout of the game.

UAB crossed the plate first with a two-run first inning. Sophomore Sierra Frazier reached on a fielder’s choice and scored off of Petree’s double. Olszewski then singled to bring her home. The Blazers added to their 3-0 lead in the next frame as Valbak knocked a base hit and converted on a dropped fly ball.

The Blazers made it a four-run affair in the third when Olszewski tripled for her second hit of the night, followed by an RBI double from junior Jolie Readeaux. UAB sealed the victory with Petree’s RBI single in the fifth. 

Charlotte (31-18) cut into UAB’s lead in the top of the fourth thanks to an RBI double from senior Kourtney Gremillion. Sophomore Cori Henderson was hit by a pitch and junior Bailey Vannoy walked to open the inning and make the rally possible. Gremillion went 2-for-4 with two RBI on the night. 

Game 5: (1) North Texas 4, (4) WKU 1 | Box Score

No. 1 seed North Texas hung two runs in the first inning and never surrendered the lead to defeat No. 4 WKU 4-1 and secure a spot in the winner’s bracket semifinal at noon Friday. The regular season champion will await the winner of No. 2 UAB and No. 3 Charlotte, and the Hilltoppers will keep their postseason alive in the first loser’s bracket contest 2:30 p.m. tomorrow.

The two programs not only met for the first time since the 2019 campaign, but for the first time in postseason play since becoming C-USA members. North Texas (38-10) won its opening game in the C-USA Tournament for the first time since 2014. WKU (28-13) dropped its second, but on Wednesday became the first host to win a C-USA Championship game since 2013.

C-USA Pitcher of the Year Hope Trautwein tallied her 13^th win in the circle, tossing her ninth complete game on the strength of nine strikeouts with one earned run dealt on two hits and two walks.The decision was the 61st of her career, which set a new school record for career victories. 

Four walks, two on a full count, and a single from freshman Kalei Christensen got North Texas on the board 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Lexi Cobb sent one over the left-center fence to tack on another run in the bottom of the second, and freshman Ashlyn Walker powered the first home run of her career in the sixth for insurance. Walker led the team with a 2-for-2 showing with two RBI and a run.

WKU sophomore Princess Valencia delivered the first hit of the day for the Hilltoppers in the top of the fifth, a long single into the left field corner. The team’s first and only run came in the following inning when senior Paige Carter shot out her team-leading 12^th homer of the season. Carter went 1-for-2 with a run and RBI.