The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
MARSHALL
Blazers Fall To Marshall 13-5
2/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 29, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Catcher Rich Russell went 3-for-4 with a grand slam and three runs scored in helping lead Marshall to a 13-5 victory over UAB in baseball action Sunday afternoon at Young Memorial Field. The loss snapped a 10-game winning streak for UAB (7-1), dating back to last season.
Marshall (2-7) struck first in the top of the third inning when center fielder Chris Monaco singled to left center field, scoring Russell.
UAB answered with a run in the bottom of the third when second baseman Josh Miljavac singled to right field, scoring third baseman Zac Ward.
The Thundering Herd took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning when, with the bases loaded, Blazer starter Jeff Brown hit shortstop Mike Koitsopoulos, allowing left fielder Francois Larmore to score.
UAB tied the score in the bottom of the fourth when right fielder Cole Helms doubled to right center field, scoring designated hitter Nathan McCorkle.
Marshall took a 7-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Larmore reached on a fielder's choice, allowing second baseman Marshall Murray to score the Thundering Herd's first run of the inning. Later in the inning, Russell hit a grand slam over the center field wall.
The Blazers posted two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ward doubled to left field, allowing shortstop Seth Rollin to score UAB's first run of the inning. Later in the inning, Miljavac's sacrifice fly allowed Ward to score his second run of the game. Marshall led 7-4.
Marshall got out to an 11-4 lead in the top of the eighth inning. Murray doubled to left field, allowing left fielder Brad Helm, Russell and Monaco to score the Thundering Herd's first runs of the inning. Third baseman Adam Frederick followed with a single through the right side that allowed Murray to score his second run of the game.
UAB added a run in the bottom of the eighth on a home run to right field by first baseman Daniel Hill.
Marshall's final two runs came in the top of the ninth inning on a two-run homer to right field by Koitsopoulos.
Brown (0-1) took the loss for UAB after pitching four and two-thirds innings and giving up five runs on eight hits. He had two walks and two strikeouts.
Grant Harper (1-1) picked up the win for Marshall after working seven innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. He had one walk and five strikeouts.
UAB took two games out of the three-game set as the Blazers won Friday and Saturday's contests.
"We are very fortunate and happy that we won two of three in the series," said UAB head coach Larry Giangrosso. "Today, their guy (Grant Harper) goes out there and does a good job. He stayed ahead in the count on us and he kept our lead-off guys off the base. A lot of things that we were trying to get generated were happening after one and two outs. It never seemed like we had the right guy up at the right situation. Jeff (Brown) battled hard, but he stayed behind in the count, lead-off guys got on and we just kept getting in trouble. We stayed behind all day long, offensively and defensively. When that happens you are going to struggle, and we struggled today.
UAB got off to the third best start in school history at 7-0 and posted the third best winning streak in school history.
Miljavac increased his team-leading hitting streak to 11 games with his RBI single. Miljavac closed the 2003 season on a three-game streak.
UAB next plays at Alabama Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
"We have a great opportunity to play Alabama," said Giangrosso. "They are a first-class program. Our players have respect for Alabama's baseball program and all the things they have accomplished through the years. It's a great opportunity for us and we'll have to play a lot, lot better than we played today."
