The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
TULANE*
No. 7 Tulane Defeats UAB 17-13
4/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 16, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Center fielder Nathan Southard went 3-for-6 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored in helping lead No. 7 Tulane to a 17-13 victory over UAB in Conference USA baseball action Friday evening at Young Memorial Field.
Tulane (26-10, 10-3 C-USA) jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Southard led off the inning with a home run to left field. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Blazer starter Chris Thorup walked designated hitter Wes Swackhamer, bringing in left fielder Matt Barket. Right fielder Brian Bogusevic followed with a single up the middle that scored catcher Greg Dini and first baseman Brian Bormaster. Southard later collected his third RBI of the inning when he singled to left field, scoring Swackhamer and Bogusevic.
The Green Wave pushed across two runs in the top of the second inning. Barket led off the inning with a home run to right center field. Later in the inning, Swackhamer homered to right field. Tulane led 8-0.
Tulane added a run in the top of the fourth inning on Dini's sacrifice fly to right field that scored Barket.
UAB (14-19, 2-10) answered with six runs in the bottom of the fourth. Center fielder Sam Clark doubled to left center field, allowing right fielder Cole Helms to score the Blazers' first run of the inning. Third baseman Zac Ward then reached first on a fielding error by Green Wave shortstop Tommy Manzella, allowing Clark to score. Second baseman Seth Rollin then doubled to left field, scoring Ward. Shortstop Josh Miljavac followed with a two-run homer to right field. The Blazers final run of the inning came when first baseman Daniel Hill doubled to left center field, scoring catcher Eugene Rodriguez.
The Green Wave got a run in the top of the fifth inning when third baseman Tim Guidry singled to left center field, scoring Bogusevic. Tulane led 10-6.
Tulane pushed across seven runs in the top of the seventh inning. Southard singled through the left side, allowing Bogusevic to score the Green Wave's first run of the inning. Second baseman Joe Holland followed with a single to right center field, scoring Manzella. Barket then singled to right field, bringing in Guidry and Southard. Holland was later able to score on a passed ball by Rodriguez. Barket then scored on a balk by Blazer reliever Ryan Huffman. Tulane's final run of the inning came on Swackhamer's sacrifice fly to center field that scored Bormaster.
The Blazers answered with six runs in the bottom of the seventh. Ward singled through the left side, allowing left fielder Levi Patmon to score UAB's first run of the inning. Rollin followed with a single through the left side, scoring Clark. Miljavac then singled through the left side, bringing in Ward. Jeremy Moran, who was pinch hitting for Rodriguez, followed with a three-run homer to left field.
UAB threatened in the bottom of the ninth. With one out in the inning, designated hitter Nathan McCorkle doubled through the left side, scoring Ben McCullars, who had come on to catch for Rodriguez. Helms then singled to left center field. The rally fell short when Green Wave reliever Joey Charron struck out the final two UAB batters to pick up his fifth save of the season.
Green Wave reliever Daniel Latham (2-1) picked up the win for Tulane after pitching two and one-third innings and allowing one run on three hits, walking one and striking out two. Green Wave starter Billy Mohl worked four and one-third innings and gave up six runs, only one of which was earned, on nine hits, walked one and struck out four.
Thorup (1-1) took the loss for UAB after pitching a third of an inning and allowing six runs on four hits and two walks.
UAB out hit Tulane 18-16 and left 12 runners on base to the Green Wave's six. Tulane committed five errors in the contest to UAB's two.
The Blazers suffered their 10th straight loss in the three hour and 29 minute contest.
The three-game series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday's games will be broadcast live via the world wide web on the Blazers' official athletics website, www.uabsports.com. For those who are not Yahoo! subscribers, a monthly subscription can be purchased for $4.95 per month and a season-long subscription may be purchased for $14.95. To listen to the broadcast, click on either "UAB Audio Broadcasts" or "Multimedia" from the UAB athletics website's main page and follow the links.
Saturday will feature UAB's annual Blazer Day. The UAB football team will scrimmage at 12:30 p.m. at West Campus Field before the baseball team takes the field across the street at 2 p.m. Admission to both events Saturday is free.
