Lindsey Smith is On Fire

It took all of ten minutes for Lindsey Smith to leave her mark on Friday’s game at Wichita State.

The Blazers, facing Shockers ace Alison Cooper, wasted no time building a threat in the top of the first inning: left fielder Auburn Dupree opened the afternoon with a single, second baseman Hannah Dorsett was plucked by a pitch, and center fielder Bella Wiggins laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. In the blink of an eye, UAB had put two runners in scoring position.

Up next was the cleanup hitter Smith, a slugger singlehandedly boasting 20% of the Blazers’ RBIs and over half of their home runs. After taking a healthy cut at a high fastball, Smith smacked Cooper’s 2-1 offering deep into the opposite field. Her bases-clearing triple drove in Dupree and Wiggins, giving UAB a 2-0 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

T1 | Lindsey Smith

A 2RBI Triple sends two Blazers across home plate to put the 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐀𝐑𝐃

2 – 0 #WinAsOne | @Lindsey37Smith pic.twitter.com/rbtFysowcX

— UAB Softball (@UAB_SB) April 19, 2024

The Blazers, who had lost 10 of 12 entering the month, have turned their season around over the last three weeks. Friday’s victory marked UAB’s seventh in their last nine games; through two-thirds of April, the Blazers have recorded nearly as many wins as they did in the entirety of March. As of Saturday afternoon, UAB sits fourth in the conference standings, ahead of traditional powerhouses like Wichita State and USF.

The team’s turnaround can be attributed to several factors. UAB’s batters have looked more confident at the plate; although the offense has cooled off recently, the Blazers posted an impressive 29 runs in their first four conference games of the month. Pitchers Caitlin Russell and Leigha Kirby have been excellent, each currently sporting ERAs under 3.05. The heartbreaking one-run games that never went UAB’s way in March have also started to swing in the Blazers’ favor.

However, it’s no coincidence that their winning streak directly coincides with the dominance of Smith. Although the junior has been one of UAB’s best hitters all season, she’s taken things to another level over the last three weeks, recording five extra-base hits and making several game-saving plays that have changed the complexion of the Blazers’ campaign.

Smith opened the month in style, blasting a two-run homer against league-leading North Texas before fans even had a chance to find their seats.

B1 | CUE THE SONG!

Lindsey Smith sends a 2RBI to left field to put the Blazers on the Board!

2 – 0 #WinAsOne | @Lindsey37Smith pic.twitter.com/tMLWgHf9DC

— UAB Softball (@UAB_SB) April 5, 2024

Just an inning later, she smashed a double down the left field line, driving in two runs and staking UAB to a 7-0 lead they wouldn’t give up.

B2 | Don't let them Blazers get hot!

The Green and Gold go on a rally to plate two more batters!

7 – 0 pic.twitter.com/vMc9Nf1vAx

— UAB Softball (@UAB_SB) April 5, 2024

Smith’s performance in the UNT opener was a crucial catalyst for a UAB team that, at the time, was in the midst of their worst stretch of the season. A rough March had concluded with three excruciating road losses at Tulsa, all of which were decided by two runs or fewer. Smith’s four quick RBIs allowed the Blazers to avoid playing from behind, something they’d been forced to do for several consecutive games.

The next day’s matchup was a battle of attrition, a frustrating game that saw the two teams strand a combined 17 runners. North Texas finally broke through in the top of the eighth inning, scrapping out a run that made the score 3-2.

Smith was tasked with dispersing the memories of March’s close-game struggles, and she did so without delay. The leadoff hitter sliced the first pitch she saw into the right-field gap.

B8 | LINDSEY SMITH ARE YOU KIDDING ME

A double to right center puts the 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐄#WinAsOne | @Lindsey37Smith pic.twitter.com/CZo1wWfInP

— UAB Softball (@UAB_SB) April 6, 2024

The double put Smith into scoring position, from where she would quickly score on a throwing error. Infielder Alyssa Aguilar proceed to drive home Kaily Collett, securing a walk-off Blazer victory.

Smith recorded two singles the next day in UAB’s sweep-clinching victory. She finished the series with four RBIs, three extra-base hits, and a batting average over .500, earning her an AAC Honor Roll nod.

Perfect fielding percentage, over .500 hitting… and a few RBIs for good measures.

Lindsey Smith has been named to this week’s AAC Honor Roll!#WinAsOne | @Lindsey37Smith pic.twitter.com/B4SnuZdDSV

— UAB Softball (@UAB_SB) April 8, 2024

The third baseman was quiet in the Blazers’ subsequent three-game series against Memphis, taking just six total at-bats, but stellar pitching and timely hitting secured UAB a sweep.

Through two games against Wichita State, Smith is back to her old ways: after hitting the aforementioned triple on Friday, she smashed her seventh homer of the season on Saturday, giving the Blazers what would prove to be their only run of the afternoon.

T4 | Lindsey Goes 𝐘𝐀𝐑𝐃

Smith sends a solo shot to put the Blazers on the Board!#WinAsOne | @Lindsey37Smith pic.twitter.com/TV5YKZ1aF3

— UAB Softball (@UAB_SB) April 21, 2024

Smith is now batting .296/.382/.583, a triple slash that ranks as one of the conference’s twenty best. She is by far UAB’s premier power threat: Smith leads the Blazers in slugging percentage, doubles, home runs, and RBIs. Center fielder Bella Wiggins, UAB’s second-most-prolific home run hitter, has just two HRs to Smith’s seven. Smith or Wiggins pace the Blazers in nearly every offensive statistic.

The efforts of Smith and her teammates have put UAB in a position to make a run at a top seed; the conference’s top two teams receive double byes at May’s AAC Tournament. The Blazers currently sit two games behind second-place Charlotte, who come to Birmingham next weekend.

Although the Blazers suffered their first conference loss of the month on Saturday afternoon, they look to take the series against Wichita State tomorrow at 10 AM on ESPN+.