The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Marshall
Saway Goes Deep Twice In 12-4 Blazer Win Over Marshall
4/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 10, 2010
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Mikael Saway hit his first two career home runs and Beau Pender pitched eight strong innings Saturday as the UAB baseball team evened its weekend series against Marshall with a 12-4 win at Young Memorial Field.
After managing just three hits in Friday's series-opening loss, the UAB offense got back on track Saturday with 11 hits, including two each by Saway, Jamal Austin, John Frost and Jacob German.
The Blazers (19-10, 5-3 C-USA) and Thundering Herd (12-17, 3-5 C-USA) will meet again Sunday for this weekend's rubber game at 1 p.m. CT. Fans can follow the action through Gametracker live stats and All-Access streaming video online at uabsports.com.
On Saturday, Pender worked deep into the game for his second consecutive start and earned his third straight win. The senior right-hander pitched eight complete innings, surrendering three runs on six hits while striking out three and walking none. In the field, the UAB defenders turned in their 10th errorless game of the year.
"Beau was great again, and the keys for him today were no walks and no errors behind him," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "Tomorrow is an important game, and it won't be easy. With as close as our conference standings are, every series is important."
Pender retired the side in order in four of the first five innings, allowing only one run through that stretch on a solo homer from Marshall's Isaac Ballou. While he was shutting down the Herd's bats, Saway was providing the offensive fireworks for the Blazers.
Saway, a Birmingham product, started the UAB scoring with a solo home run in the third inning and later hit a two-run shot to ignite a six-run sixth for the Blazers. Luke Stewart also belted a two-run homer in the sixth, while Frost added a two-RBI double as UAB extended its 4-2 lead to 10-2.
Stewart's home run was his team-leading 10th of the season and his eighth in the past 13 games. Frost also tallied an earlier RBI single in the third inning and matched Saway for game-high honors with three RBI.
"What a great day for Mikael, and he gave us a spark that we desperately needed," Shoop said. "We had played nine innings yesterday and two today with only three hits before he hit that first home run. It was a heck of a game for him and really a great game from the eight and nine spots in our order when you look at what Jacob German did, as well."
UAB tacked on two more late runs in the eighth inning, while Marshall scored its third run against Pender in the eighth and tacked on an unearned run in the ninth on a passed ball.
Thundering Herd starter Mike Mason allowed the first eight Blazer runs on nine hits over five and two-thirds innings and was tagged with the loss. Marshall pitchers walked nine batters in the game, and the staff has now posted 20 walks for the series.
Kirby Pellant went 2-for-4 at the plate and was the only Marshall player to record double-digit hits in the game.
Austin, who recorded a two-RBI double in the fourth inning for UAB, extended his hitting streak to six games. The sophomore leadoff batter has posted multiple hits in five of those six contests.
