The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Nicholls St
Baseball Falls To Nicholls State
2/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2002
Nicholls State right fielder
Jake Ritchie broke open the game
with a two-out, three-run triple in the top of the seventh inning and reliever Derril
Naschke slammed the door with two
scoreless innings as the Colonels (7-0) defeated UAB 6-3 Friday evening at
Young Memorial Field.
UAB (0-2) led 2-1 after six
innings, on the strength of two RBI singles by first baseman Matt Womble and five solid innings by starting pitcher Joe
Yarbrough, who allowed one run on
six hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
With two out and a man on
first in the top of the seventh, Blazer reliever Jon Burgett ran into trouble, loading the bases by hitting two
consecutive batters, catcher Monte Mitchell and first baseman Mike Kelso.? The
next batter, Ritchie, worked the count to two balls and two strikes before
drilling a line drive deep into the right field corner to clear the bases,
making the score 4-2 in favor of the Colonels.
Ritchie then scored as pinch
hitter Kyle Cook swung at a
Burgett pitch in the dirt, but the ball bounced away from UAB catcher Justin
Miller allowing Cook to reach first
base safely.
The Colonels added an
insurance run in the eighth inning as shortstop Rondon Anderson hit a solo home run to right center field off
Burgett.
UAB scored one run in the
bottom of the first inning as Womble singled home center fielder Mitch Jones, and another in the third as Womble drove in center
fielder Quincey Williams with a
single.?
The Blazers' final run
of the evening came on a pinch-hit RBI single by Matt Gaulden, which drove in second baseman Seth Rollin.? UAB
had men on first and third with no one out in that inning, but pinch runner Chad
House was cut down trying to steal
second base, and Naschke struck out designated hitter Al Hecklinski and Miller to end the threat.
Nicholls State starter Mike
Prejean (3-0) was the winning
pitcher, working six complete innings, allowing two runs on three hits with
three walks and six strikeouts. Naschke earned his first save of the season
with his two excellent innings of work.
Burgett (0-1) was the losing
pitcher, working two and 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits, with one
walk and four strikeouts.
UAB continues its weekend
home stand Saturday hosting Mississippi Valley State at 2:00 pm, and will host Kentucky Sunday at 1:00 pm.
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