The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Arms Salvage Game Two of Doubleheader
2/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2006
UAB vs. Ball State Box Score Game 2
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Blazers Arms Salvage Game Two of Doubleheader UAB defeats Ball State 3-0 to win series
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- While hitting dominated game one of the doubleheader played at Young Memorial Field on Sunday, game two's spotlight focused on the pitcher's mound, as UAB rode the arms of Jim Crew, Ben Styes and Brandon Flaherty to a 3-0 one hit shutout victory.
This win gave UAB a 2-1 edge over the Ball State Cardinals in their weekend series, while moving their season record to 2-1 as well. Ball State falls to 1-2 on the year.
Crew started on the mound for head coach Larry Giangrosso, pitching a stellar 6.1 innings, allowing no hits during his time on the hill. The sophomore from Birmingham, Ala., had his best outing as a Blazer, as he set career highs in innings pitched, hits and runs during his outstanding outing. Crew also struck out three batters en route to his first victory of the season.
Ben Styes relieved Crew, keeping the Cardinals in check for the next two innings. Styes had a strikeout of his own, allowing only one hit and no Ball State runner to reach second base while he was on the hill. Flaherty closing things out in the ninth, picking up his first save of the season, striking out two of the three Cardinal hitters he faced.
Danny Sawyer was in the middle of everything for Blazers, going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs in the game. Zac Ward added to his teaming leading RBI of seven with an RBI single in the 8th inning. J.R. Bond, Levi Patmon, Jorge Gutierrez and Billy Lichtner also added hits for the Blazers.
The Blazers offense did just enough to get the "W", using "small ball" tactics and timely hitting to gain a lead against Ball State. UAB wasted no time getting a lead, as a two out walk to Bond turned into a 1-0 lead as the junior proceeded to steal second and score on a Sawyer single.
That would be all the scoring until the 8th, as Crew and Cardinal right hander Ryan DeGeeter took turns dazzling the crowd with their dominating performances.
UAB would strike again in the bottom of the 8th, pushing across two insurance runs to make it 3-0. Sawyer provided a key RBI single, scoring Levi Patmon. Ward soon followed, smashing a hit up the middle plating Bond for the final run of the night.
Flaherty took over the 9th, making quick work of the Cardinals for the save and the UAB win.
The Blazers hit the road for the next week, as they travel to Kennesaw State on Wednesday for a single game starting at 4 p.m. CT. UAB spends next weekend in Dothan, Ala., as they join Michigan, South Alabama and Troy in the Wiregrass Classic. Larry Giangrosso' squad opens up the Classic on Friday, as they play Michigan at 2 p.m.
