The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Presbyterian
Baseball Loses To Presbyterian, 7-2
4/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 5, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB baseball team lost to Presbyterian, 7-2, Saturday afternoon at Young Memorial Field. Left fielder Austin Taylor, center fielder Cody McMurry and second baseman Nick Crawford all had two hits for UAB.
Presbyterian improves to 8-17 with the win, while UAB is now 10-17.
Ben Dollar (2-1) got the win on the mound for the Blue Hose after he threw 6.2 innings in which he gave up the two UAB runs and struck out six.
Brandon Wallace (1-2) was the losing pitcher Saturday after he lasted 5.2 innings and allowed five earned runs on eight hits. Wallace gave up his first career home run as a Blazer in the game, snapping his run of not allowing a home run at 98.2 innings.
UAB designated hitter Phil Bell saw his 17-game hit streak come to an end, but did have an RBI in the game.
Presbyterian was led offensively by center fielder Cory Lyda who finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Right fielder Jesse Harmon was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run.
UAB led 1-0 after the first inning thanks to Bell reaching on a sacrifice bunt to first base, which scored shortstop Jonathan Merritt, who had reached by being hit by a pitch before stealing second.
Presbyterian came back and took the lead, 2-1, in the third as Lyda singled home the first run of the inning and then later scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by second baseman Robert Anders. Lyda made his way to third on the single to right as Blazer right fielder Brint Hardy misplayed the ball, allowing the Blue Hose center fielder to move up to third.
The Blue Hose then pulled away in the sixth, scoring five runs to take a 7-1 lead.
Harmon's two-run home run served as the biggest blow of the inning, while Lyda and shortstop Zac Rhinesmith each had RBI-doubles the inning.
UAB went on to add one last run in the seventh on a run-scoring ground out by Merritt and then left the bases loaded in the ninth to close out the 7-2 loss.
The Blazers and Blue Hose will wrap up the series on Sunday when they get together at Young Memorial Field for a doubleheader consisting of two seven-inning games beginning at 1:00 p.m.
