The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
at Jacksonville State
Blazers Fall To Jacksonville State, 3-2
5/11/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 11, 2004
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Jacksonville State posted two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, added a run in the bottom of the sixth and held off a UAB rally in the ninth to claim a 3-2 victory over the Blazers in baseball action Tuesday evening at Rudy Abbott Field on the Jacksonville State campus.
UAB (24-24, 10-13 Conference USA) began the ninth inning down 3-2 and started a two-out rally. Center fielder Levi Patmon singled to left field. Shortstop Josh Miljavac followed with a double through the left side. The rally came to an end however when catcher Eugene Rodriguez flew out to left field.
Gamecock starter Tony Drinkard (1-0) picked up the win for Jacksonville State (24-22, 14-7 Ohio Valley Conference) after working five shut-out innings and surrendering only two hits. He walked four and struck out two.
Josh Forrest pitched the final two innings for JSU and gave up only two hits en route to his first save of the season. Forrest recorded two strikeouts.
Blazer starter Lyle Northington (1-2) took the loss for UAB after pitching four innings and allowing two runs on two hits. He walked five and struck out two.
Jacksonville State took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Designated hitter Clint Carroll's infield single allowed shortstop Bret Pettus to score the Gamecocks' first run of the inning. Right fielder Austin Stein later singled up the middle, scoring center fielder Shundel Russaw.
Pettus doubled down the right field line, advancing second baseman Cory Tucker to third base in the bottom of the sixth inning. Blazer right fielder Cole Helms' errant throw on a putout attempt of Pettus at second base allowed Tucker to score. JSU led 3-0.
UAB cut the deficit to one run in the top of the eighth inning on a two-run homer to right field by first baseman Daniel Hill.
"I thought their (Jacksonville State) pitching staff did a great job of making pitches when they had to," said UAB head coach Larry Giangrosso. "They made some plays when they had to. I was disappointed in the fact that we didn't challenge a little bit earlier in the game.
"We have to get ready for South Florida. That is a huge series."
UAB returns home to Young Memorial Field to host the final home series of the season as the Blazers will meet USF in a three-game C-USA set Friday-Sunday. Friday's game begins at 7 p.m., Saturday's game is at 2 p.m. and Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Sunday's game against USF 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.
