The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazer Baseball Hosts Southern Miss In First C-USA Series
3/25/2010 12:00:00β―AM | Baseball
March 25, 2010
Game Notes 
| Friday Gametracker | Watch Live
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB baseball team opens its 24-game Conference USA slate this weekend with a three-game home series against Southern Miss at Young Memorial Field.
First pitch in Friday's series opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT with games to follow Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. All of this weekend's contests can be heard live in the Birmingham area on WSPZ-AM 690 with David Crane on the call.
As always, fans can also follow the action through Gametracker live stats and All-Access streaming video online at uabsports.com as the Blazers host a Southern Miss team that competed in last year's College World Series.
The Blazers (11-7) enter this weekend's series on a four-game winning streak. UAB swept a three-game series at home last weekend from Western Illinois and then won a midweek game Tuesday at Kennesaw State, 4-1. The Blazers have won four consecutive series dating back to last season.
After a slow start, first baseman Luke Stewart has been on a roll of late. The senior has hit four home runs over the past two games and leads the Blazers in the power categories this season with six homers and 19 RBI. UAB has been led at the plate by a pair of freshmen in designated hitter John Frost and outfielder Ryan Ussery, who are hitting .379 and .350, respectively, in their rookie campaigns.
On the mound, UAB boasts a team ERA of 4.92 with 141 strikeouts and 65 walks in 161 total innings. Friday starter Mitch Kloskowski leads the starting rotation with a 2.66 ERA and a team-best 23 strikeouts in 21 and one-third innings. Out of the bullpen, freshman righty Ben Bullard carries a 2.63 ERA, while junior righty Blake Huddleston leads the staff with eight appearances.
The Golden Eagles (13-6) come into the series with wins in six of their past eight games. Both of those losses have come in the past week with Southern Miss splitting a snow-shortened, two-game series last weekend at Louisiana Tech and then dropping an 11-6 decision to Ole Miss in Pearl, Miss., in midweek action on Tuesday.
Southern Miss is hitting .329 as a team this spring and has outscored its opposition, 162-87. Sophomore infielder B.A. Vollmuth leads the way for the Golden Eagles with a .378 batting average, three home runs and 19 RBI. In total, six Golden Eagle regulars are hitting better than .300.
Friday starter and Preseason Conference USA Pitcher of the Year Todd McInnis headlines the USM starting rotation with a 1.89 ERA, striking out 36 batters and walking seven in 33 and one-third innings. Fellow starter Scott Copeland is 4-0 on the mound, while relievers Matt Warren and Collin Cargill also own ERAs below 2.00.
Though UAB trails 49-28 in the all-time series with Southern Miss, the Blazers have had success of late. UAB has taken two of three games from the Golden Eagles in each of the past two seasons. Last year, the Blazers took both games of a Saturday doubleheader, including a near no-hitter from Kyle Roberson in game two, to claim the series in Hattiesburg.
