The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
UCF
UCF Opens Series With Convincing Win Over UAB
4/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 24, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ------ UCF exploded for 29 runs on 28 hits en route to a 29-9 Conference USA victory over UAB Friday night at Young Memorial Field.
Shane Brown and D.J. Hicks both collected five hits in the game as the Knights broke their single-game record for most runs and hits in a game. Brown reached base all eight times he came to the plate. UCF finished with 28 hits off five Blazer pitchers.
The Blazers (23-19, 5-8 C-USA) and Knights (14-25, 4-9 C-USA) will be back in action Saturday at 2:00 p.m. CT at Young Memorial Field. The series will culminate on Sunday with the third game of the series, scheduled for a Noon (CT) start.
In Friday's game, UCF struck first in the top of the opening frame as Brandon Romans hit a three-run home run to bring in Colin Arnold, who had singled, and Brown, hit by a pitch.
The Knights stretched their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third when Brown homered over the right field fence. UCF touched UAB starter Beau Pender for four more runs in the top of the fourth inning with the big blow a double by Brown.
The Knights added five more in the fifth and seven in the sixth as they opened up a 20-1 lead after five and a half innings. UCF had started the fifth with four straight hits off reliever Robert Brewster. Catcher Beau Taylor led off the sixth with his fourth home run of the season in an inning that had six UCF hits and produced the seven runs.
UAB junior Luke Stewart had given his team its first run when he connected for his team-leading 11th home run of the season in the fifth. The Blazers added two more runs in the seventh inning as Digger Towe, Andrew Manning, Bradley Hicks and Jonathan Merritt all singled.
In the eighth inning with one out, UAB senior Cody McMurry tied teammate Stewart with his 11th home run of the season and his team-best 43rd RBI. After UCF pitcher Austin Hudson walked Kevin Cope and Ben Drust, Manning delivered a double off the right field wall for UAB's fifth and sixth runs of the game.
The Blazers plated more runs in their final inning of the game. Merritt led off the inning being hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Brint Hardy doubled. McMurry then followed with a double for two more RBI, increasing his season total to 45. After Cope grounded out to shortstop, Stewart singled to right-center to bring in McMurry.
McMurry finished 2-5 for UAB with three RBI, Manning was 3-4 with three RBI while Stewart had two hits in five at bats with two RBI.
UCF had four home runs in the game as Romans, Brown, Taylor and D.J. Hicks all had four-baggers. Every Knights starter had at least one hit in the game.
Senior Caleb Graham picked up the win on the mound for the Knights, improving to 2-2 this season. Pender took the loss and saw his record fall to 3-4.
Both Saturday's game, as well as Sunday's, will be broadcast in Birmingham on WSPZ Radio 690 AM as David Crane calls the action.
