The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
AUBURN
Blazers Fall To No. 14 Auburn
3/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 23, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Auburn posted 13 runs on 12 hits to claim a 13-6 victory over UAB in baseball action Tuesday evening at Young Memorial Field.
The 14th-ranked Tigers struck first in the top of the first inning when center fielder Clete Thomas singled to left center field, scoring left fielder Sean Gamble.
UAB (13-8) tied the score in the bottom of the first when designated hitter Nathan McCorkle doubled to center field, scoring shortstop Josh Miljavac.
Auburn (18-5) took a 5-1 lead in the top of the third inning on a grand slam home run to right field by catcher Josh Sullivan.
UAB answered in the bottom of the third when McCorkle hit a two-run homer to right center field. Auburn led 5-3.
The Blazers tied the score in the bottom of the fifth inning when right fielder Jeremy Moran doubled to center field, scoring first baseman Daniel Hill and McCorkle.
Auburn regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Designated hitter Josh Bell's sacrifice fly to center field, allowed first baseman Kyle Mayo to score the Tigers' first run of the inning. Thomas followed with a single to center field that scored Gamble and second baseman Tug Hulett. The Tigers led 8-5.
UAB answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth when McCorkle collected his fourth RBI of the game, doubling to right field to bring in Miljavac.
Auburn got two runs in the top of the seventh inning off back-to-back home runs. Right fielder Derek Sain got the first over the right center field wall. Later in the inning, first baseman Kyle Mayo homered to right field. Auburn led 10-6.
The Tigers added three runs in the top of the ninth inning. Sain reached on a fielding error by Blazer shortstop Dan Stucky, allowing Sullivan to score Auburn's first run of the inning. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Blazer reliever Cole Helms walked Hulett, bringing in Sain. Third baseman Ben Maitland later scored on a wild pitch by Helms.
Adam Price (2-3) took the loss for UAB after coming on in relief of Blazer starter Grant Addison in the top of the third inning. Price worked two and two-thirds innings and gave up three runs on two hits, walked three and struck out three. Addison pitched two and two-thirds innings and allowed five runs on four hits, walked five and tied a UAB career high with four strikeouts.
Tiger reliever John Madden (1-0) picked up the win for Auburn after pitching two and one-third innings and allowing one run, which was unearned, on two hits. Madden walked one and struck out seven. Tiger starter Jared Shore worked three innings and gave up three runs, two of which were earned, on five hits and walked one.
"I felt like we had some chances during the course of the game," said UAB head coach Larry Giangrosso. "I think if we could have ever gotten the lead it may have been a little different. They (Auburn) came up with big hit after big hit. When they brought in (John) Madden, it quieted us down. He did a great job. We had some opportunities early in the first half of the ball game to take the lead. When we didn't do that, their pitching got better and better."
UAB next travels to St. Louis, Mo. for a three-game Conference USA series against Saint Louis University. Friday, the Blazers and Billikens square off at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday's games begin at 1 p.m.
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