The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
at Louisville*
UAB Snaps Skid With 5-4 Win at Louisville
5/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 20, 2005
LOUISVILLE, Ky.-- UAB got home runs from Zac Ward and Rush Knight and snapped its five-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over Louisville in Friday's second game at Patterson Stadium. The Cardinals stranded 15 runners on base in the game and fall to 31-22, 14-14 in Conference USA play while the Blazers improve to 31-24, 14-15 in league play. With this victory, UAB surpasses last season's win total and has now won more games than any Blazer squad since 1997.
Adam Price (5-5) was outstanding in relief for UAB, pitching 4.2 shutout innings to earn the victory. Ryan Huffman finished off the Cardinals, recording the final four outs to earn his fourth save.
The Blazers got on the board first with a run in the top of the second. Nathan McCorkle drew a leadoff walk, then moved to third on consecutive bunts by Phillip Bell and Seth Rollin. With two outs and two strikes, J.R. Bond hit a slow roller to shortstop and beat the throw to first base, allowing McCorkle to cross the plate with the game's first run.
After the Cardinals went ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the second, Ward gave UAB the lead back when he blasted his sixth home run of the season deep over the left field wall. The two-run shot also scored Levi Patmon who had reached on a two-out walk.
After a Boomer Whiting sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third scored Jorge Castillo and tied the game at three, Chris Cates followed with a two-out single up the middle which scored Ryan McKinnon and gave Louisville a 4-3 advantage.
The Blazers came right back to take the lead in the top of the fourth with another two-out, two-run rally. Bond drew a four-pitch walk then came around to score when Knight hit the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for his fourth home run of the season.
The Blazers and Cardinals conclude their series on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
