The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Ball State
Blazers Earn Extra-Inning Win To Sweep Saturday Doubleheader
2/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2010
Game 1 Box Score | Game 1 PDF 
| Game 2 Box Score | Game 2 PDF
Sunday Gametracker | Watch Live
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB baseball team swept Saturday's doubleheader with Ball State at Young Memorial Field, shutting out the Cardinals 6-0 in the day's first game and pulling out a 10-9, 12-inning victory in game two.
"It's amazing what winning does," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "Everything just feels better. Ball State is a really good team, and this was a good day for our guys."
With the wins, UAB evened its record at 2-2 on the young season, while Ball State dropped to 2-4. The Blazers now lead this weekend's series 2-1 heading into Sunday's finale at 1 p.m. CT.
Game One Recap
UAB starting pitcher Beau Pender turned in a masterful performance in game one of the doubleheader as he combined with reliever Nick Graffeo for a 6-0 shutout of Ball State.
It marked the first Blazer shutout since a 13-0 win on March 14, 2009 over Harvard. Pender also started that game, which was also the first game of a doubleheader.
On Saturday, Pender worked seven innings and allowed just two hits and two walks. The right-hander struck out a career-high seven batters and worked four three-up-three-down innings. Only three runners made it to second base against Pender, who faced his only real jam in the fourth inning. Ball State moved runners to second and third with one out in the fourth, but Pender struck out the next two batters to keep the Cardinals off the board.
"That game was as well-pitched as any since I've been here," Shoop said. "Beau was unbelievable. He had three pitches going for strikes and was really tough to hit. Offensively, we were able to piece enough together to win, but we didn't need much because of how good our pitching was.
Catcher Digger Towe's sacrifice fly in the first inning provided all the scoring UAB needed. The Blazers went on to add a single run in the fifth on an RBI single from shortstop Jonathan Merritt and three in the seventh on a Ball State error and a two-RBI double from first baseman Luke Stewart. UAB then added one final run in the eighth.
Second baseman Nick Crawford went 2-for-3 with a walk to lead the Blazers at the plate, while three different Ball State players collected one hit each.
Graffeo pitched the final two innings in relief of Pender and allowed just one base runner. Ball State starter Cal Bowling took the loss despite surrendering just two runs in four and two-thirds innings.
Game Two Recap
UAB came out on the winning end of a 10-9 decision in Saturday's nightcap in a game that featured a grand slam, a ninth-inning rally to tie the score, an impressive late-inning performance by a freshman pitcher and the Blazers' first extra-inning action in more than a year.
UAB loaded the bases without a hit in the bottom of the 12th inning on a Ball State error, a walk and a hit batter. The Cardinals were then unable to turn a double play on a ground ball from Keith DePew as the Blazer left fielder reached on a fielder's choice to bring home the winning run.
It was the first run since the ninth after neither team managed to score in the first two extra frames as relief pitchers Ben Bullard of UAB and Jon Cisna of Ball State battled each other. Bullard, making his first collegiate appearance, pitched a perfect final three and a third innings on the way to earning the win. The freshman struck out four and retired all 10 batters he faced. Cisna took the loss for Ball State after working two and two-thirds.
"I've thought all along that Ben Bullard could step in and contribute for us immediately," Shoop said. "He had a great fall practice period in his first semester here, and tonight we saw what he is capable of."
UAB wouldn't have been in position to win the game if not for its two-run, ninth-inning rally. Center fielder Jamal Austin laced a ball down the line that hit the first base bag and kicked high enough into the air to allow the speedy Austin to advance all the way to second base, giving the Blazers runners at second and third with no outs. An RBI ground out from Crawford and a sacrifice fly from Merritt tied the game at 9-9.
"I don't know of any other player who could get to second base on that ball," Shoop said. "Jamal is a special player for us who can really change a game with his speed. That's what set up those two runs, and without him, we don't win this game."
While Merritt drove in the tying run in the ninth, the senior provided even greater heroics earlier in the game, blasting UAB's first grand slam of the season in the seventh inning to turn a 5-3 deficit into a 7-5 lead. It was the first grand slam by a Blazer since Andrew Manning hit one against East Carolina on April 4, 2009.
Ball State immediately took the lead back with three runs in the eighth and one in the top of the ninth before UAB's rally in the bottom of the ninth.
Merritt finished the game 2-for-5 with a career-high six RBI, and Towe also added a pair of hits. Ball State second baseman Kolbrin Vitek and third baseman Stephen Claypool led the Cardinals with two hits and two RBI each.
UAB starter Benji Waite, injured all of last season, made his first appearance in more than a year and pitched solidly. The senior went five and two-thirds innings, allowed four runs and struck out a career-best seven batters.
The UAB win came in the Blazers' first extra-inning game since a 10-inning loss at UCF on May 9, 2008.
