The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Memphis
UAB Loses At The Wire, Gets Swept By Memphis
3/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 23, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - For the second straight year the UAB baseball team was swept by Memphis on Sunday as the Tigers came from behind to score four runs in the bottom of the ninth to earn a 7-6 victory at Nat Buring Stadium. Memphis center fielder K.K. Chalmers hit a walk-off two-run single to left field with two outs to end the game.
UAB is 6-13 (0-3 C-USA), while Memphis is 11-10 (3-0 C-USA) following the league-opening series.
Brennon Martin (2-1) got the win on the mound after throwing the final 2.0 innings in which he allowed one run on two hits.
Billy Lichtner (0-1) was the losing pitcher of record after he threw 3.1 innings and was responsible for all four runs in the ninth, despite only one of the runs scoring while he was still in the game.
UAB first baseman Ryan Keedy turned in his 14th multiple-hit game and extended his current hitting streak to 13 games by going 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Left fielder Phil Bell extended his hit streak to 10 games with a 1-for-3, two-RBI performance.
Catcher Allen Aubin was 1-for-5 with two RBI in the game, while right fielder Brint Hardy was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.
Chalmers was 4-for-4 with two RBI to lead Memphis' offensive output after hitting the walk-off two-run single in the ninth.
Right fielder Robby Graham was 2-for-4 with a run scored and designated hitter Cole Shelton was 2-for-5 to cap off their impressive series'.
UAB took its first lead of the series in the top of the fourth when shortstop Jonathan Merritt scored on an RBI-single up the middle by Bell to take a 1-0 lead.
The Blazers went on to add three more runs in the inning as Bell eventually scored when third baseman Luke Stewart drew a bases loaded walk and then Aubin grounded a single through the left side that scored Keedy and center fielder Cody McMurry to give UAB a 4-0 lead.
Memphis came back and got three runs in an error-extended bottom of the fourth to cut the Blazer lead to 4-3. A fielding error on Stewart at third allowed the Tigers to keep the inning alive and get three unearned runs across the plate with two of the runs scoring on bases loaded walks.
In the fifth, UAB added a run to extend its lead to 5-3 when Keedy singled home Merritt.
Still looking to add insurance runs, the Blazers got one more run to take a 6-3 lead in the eighth after Hardy walked to lead off the inning and then scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Bell.
Lichtner recorded a strikeout to begin the bottom of the ninth, but three straight Tiger singles loaded the bases for shortstop Chad Zurcher, who drew a walk to score first baseman Trey Wiedman and cut the Blazer advantage to 6-4.
James Oliver then came on in relief with one out and the bases still full and he promptly hit the first batter he faced, second baseman Eric Farrell, which scored another run to cut the deficit to 6-5.
After getting a fly out to shallow center field, Chalmers dug in and, with two outs and the bases loaded, hit a single to left field that scored Graham and Zurcher to close out the come-from-behind, 7-6, victory.
UAB will now return home and host Troy on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Young Memorial Field.
