The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Back On The Road For Southern Miss Series
4/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 16, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB baseball team continues Conference USA play this weekend with a trip to Hattiesburg, Miss., for a three-game series with third-place Southern Miss.
The Blazers and Golden Eagles open the series Friday night with the first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m. (CT) at Pete Taylor Park. Saturday's contest is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start with Sunday's finale set for 1 p.m.
The Blazers ISP Sports Network has added all three games of the weekend series as Internet-only broadcasts. Live audio will be available for each game with David Crane handling play-by-play through the All-Access package on www.uabsports.com.
UAB won two out of three games in conference play last weekend at Marshall and swept a Tuesday doubleheader with Alabama A&M to improve to 20-16 overall. The Blazers have not reached the 20-win mark this quickly since the 2005 team started the season 20-10.
Digger Towe drove in six runs in the two games with Alabama A&M and continues to lead UAB with 47 RBI in just 30 games played. His .390 batting average also leads a Blazer squad that hits .319 as a team. NCAA Division I steals leader Brint Hardy added three more stolen bases against Alabama A&M and now owns 34 on the season in 36 attempts.
With last weekend's wins at Marshall, UAB moved into a tie for sixth place in the league at 3-6. The Blazers are just two games out of fourth place. Southern Miss enters the weekend in third place at 8-4 in league play, just one game out of first.
Overall, the Golden Eagles are 23-12 after winning two out of three games last weekend at Houston and then defeating Jackson State 16-2 in a midweek contest Tuesday.
Southern Miss will be forced to play Friday's series opener without senior shortstop Brian Dozier, who will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken collarbone in the Jackson State game. Dozier was hitting .394 with 13 doubles and a team-high 39 RBI at the time of his injury.
As a team, the Golden Eagles are hitting .329, led by Bo Davis at .441. Davis' eight home runs also lead Southern Miss, while his 33 RBI rank second only to Dozier. Five different players have driven in at least 30 runs for Southern Miss.
UAB Pitching Rotation
Friday -- RHP Beau Pender (3-2, 3.79 ERA, 46 K, 40.1 IP)
Saturday -- LHP Shay Crawford (3-2, 6.21 ERA, 41 K, 42.0 IP)
Sunday -- RHP Kyle Roberson (5-3, 5.59 ERA, 40 K, 46.2 IP)
Southern Miss Rotation
Friday -- RHP J.R. Ballinger (3-0, 3.89 ERA, 33 K, 39.1 IP)
Saturday -- RHP Todd McInnis (5-2, 3.28 ERA, 39 K, 49.1 IP)
Sunday -- TBA
