The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
MEMPHIS
UAB Swept by Memphis After 9-4 Defeat Sunday
4/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 15, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - For the third time this weekend the UAB Blazers gave up at least seven runs on Sunday as the Memphis Tigers earned a series sweep with a 9-4 victory at Young Memorial Field. The five-run victory came after the Blazers lost the second game of the series which had to be finished Sunday due to inclement weather suspending play in the top of the sixth on Saturday.
Memphis improves to 22-14 (8-4 C-USA) with the win, while UAB drops to 16-21 (4-5 C-USA).
Dusty Davis (5-1) earned the win on the mound for the Tigers after giving the club 5.2 innings of relief in which he allowed no runs or walks and struck out three. UAB junior right-hander Brandon Wallace got the loss after throwing 6.2 innings and allowing seven earned runs.
Senior catcher Danny Sawyer led the Blazers offensively with his 3-for-4 performance at the plate in the final game of the series.
In addition to Sawyer, freshman shortstop Jonathan Merritt also had an impressive afternoon at the plate as he capped off his stellar weekend by going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base, while assisting on eight putouts in the defensive effort. For the weekend, Merritt hit .538 to lead the Blazers.
Senior designated hitter Levi Patmon also recorded multiple hits, going 2-for-5 in the leadoff spot.
The Tigers were led once again by preseason All-Conference USA selection Adam Amar who was 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Left fielder Tyler Huelsing was 3-for-4 with two RBI and third baseman Kyle Norrid went 2-for-4 with three runs scored.
Memphis went ahead by scoring the first run of the game in the second inning when Huelsing singled home Amar who had previously singled in the inning to reach base.
In the third, UAB came back to take the lead 2-1. Merritt singled and then stole second to get the mini-rally going and then sophomore outfielder Brint Hardy brought him home on a sacrifice bunt to first base. The second run of the inning came when junior outfielder Phil Bell drove a double to left field to score sophomore second baseman Allen Aubin from second.
The Blazer lead was short-lived, however as the Tigers answered with three runs in the fourth when Norrid and designated hitter Joey Lieberman scored on a throwing error by Wallace who was attempting to go to third on a fielder's choice grounder off the bat of Amar. Amar later scored the last run of the inning on an RBI-single up the middle by right fielder Josh Irvin to give the Tigers a 4-2 advantage.
Staying with the high-powered Memphis offense, the Blazers tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth when Lovdahl singled to lead off the inning and then scored on a double down the left field line by Sawyer who then scored on Merritt double to left center.
After a scoreless fifth inning the Tigers scored two runs in the top of the sixth to take the lead, 6-4. A sacrifice fly by Irvin scored Norrid to serve as the go-ahead and game-winning run.
Memphis went on to score two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth to complete its 9-4 series ending victory.
The Blazers will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Jacksonville State to take on the Gamecocks at 6 p.m. before turning around and hosting the team at Young Memorial Field on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
