The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Baseball Fall Practice is Underway
10/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Oct. 19, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB baseball team has officially began fall practice in preparation for its 2007 season as it returns eight starters from last season's squad that started the year 12-3. In addition to the eight starters, 13 other letterwinners return this season and 14 newcomers join the mix. Along with the new players, new coaches will also fill the dugout this season as head coach Brian Shoop and his staff have begun their first fall camp at UAB.
UAB returns a total of 13 position players this season, however will have to make up for losing eight arms from its pitching staff. Among the position players dawning the green and gold in fall training are senior catcher Danny Sawyer and senior outfielder Steven Turner, both of whom had solid seasons at the plate in 2006, hitting .305 and .304, respectively.
Sawyer led the team in several statistical categories in 2006. He ranked first on the club in batting average (.305), RBI (47), slugging percentage (.482) and doubles (16), while ranking second in homeruns with seven.
The Blazers' leading homerun hitter from 2006, senior third baseman Ryne Lovdahl, returns this season after leaving the yard eight times during his junior campaign.
Also looking to aid the offensive output this season will be junior second baseman Phil Bell and senior outfielder J.R. Bond. Bell hit .280 last season, while Bond hit .276 with both finishing with nine doubles.
Looking to join the Blazers' outfield this season will be sophomore Brint Hardy who hit .346 with 31 RBI at Birmingham-Southern last season.
One player whose presence will be missed this season is senior first baseman Zac Ward, who will sit out the 2007 season due to injury. Last season, Ward batted .250 with six homers and 35 RBI.
Also absent from this year's roster is shortstop Ryan Metcalf who signed a free-agent deal with the Milwaukee Brewers this past summer to play in the Arizona Rookie League following his graduation last spring. Metcalf started in all 114 games during his career at UAB.
As fore mentioned, the Blazers will need to replace lost pitching from last season as two of UAB's starters from '06, Lyle Northington and Jacob Legg, have departed via graduation. The two combined for nine wins and 147.2 innings pitched last year.
However, UAB does return starting junior right-hander Jim Crew, who was the Blazers' ace last season, going 6-4 with a club-best 49 strikeouts, while pitching a pair of complete games.
In addition two Crew, UAB has six other pitchers who appeared in 10 or more games last season with junior right-hander Ben Styes turning in the most impressive numbers of the group in 2006 with a 2-1 record and a 5.40 ERA.
Junior Left-hander Paul Jones will add variety to the Blazers staff after appearing in 16 games for Birmingham-Southern in 2006 in which he posted an ERA of 4.87, while fanning 15.
This year's squad will be under great guidance as coach Shoop brings 17 seasons of head coaching experience to the program. In his time at Birmingham-Southern, Shoop's teams combined to win 692 games.
The UAB 2007 schedule will soon be released and full details will be available at UABsports.com upon its release.
