The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Mississippi State (NBC Classic)
Baseball Falls To Mississippi State In NBC Classic
2/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 22, 2002
Senior Tanner Brock gave up a first-pitch double and then held UAB hitless through seven innings Friday as ,b>Mississippi State (1-0) opened its season and the second Ron Polk coaching era with a 4-2 win over the Blazers (2-5).
Brock, making his second consecutive season-opening start, struck out seven and allowed one run, an unearned run in the sixth inning.
Steve Gendron went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, including a left field line-hugging shot that gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the second frame off UAB starter Andre Parks (1-1). Parks gave up seven hits and three of the Bulldogs' four runs before being lifted in the sixth inning.
Casey Long reached on an infield single and later scored on a single by Matthew Brinson to give MSU a 2-0 lead in the fifth. UAB scored its first run an inning later without a hit when Matt Womble walked, moved to second on a passed ball and advanced on two consecutive infield groundouts.
Mississippi State scored its final two runs on RBI singles by Michael Brown in the sixth and seventh innings, and sophomore relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon fanned four over the final two frames to pick up a save.
Kyle Leon reached on a fielding error in ninth and scored after back-to-back singles by Matt Gaulden and Mark Garner.
Papelbon then fanned the next two Blazer hitters to preserve the win for the Bulldogs.
UAB will take on Ohio State Saturday at 4:00 pm CSTas the NBC Classic concludes.
