The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Samford
Samford Deals UAB Baseball 8-1 Home Loss Tuesday
4/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 20, 2010
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Timely hitting was the difference Tuesday night as the UAB baseball team fell to crosstown rival Samford, 8-1, at Young Memorial Field in the first game of a midweek, home-and-home series.
The Blazers (20-16) matched the Bulldogs (22-14) hit for hit, but UAB put the leadoff batter on base six times without scoring a run. Samford, meanwhile, took advantage of its chances, scoring six runs from batters who initially reached on a walk, an error or from being hit by a pitch.
"We couldn't bunch hits together tonight," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "It's unusual to put the leadoff hitter on that many times and not score. We're scuffling offensively right now, but I thought there were some positive signs. We hit some balls hard that were right at their guys, so hopefully some of those will start falling in for us."
UAB will get another chance Wednesday when the Blazers pay a return visit to meet Samford at 6 p.m. CT at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Ironically, UAB's lone run Tuesday came in the only one of the first six innings in which the leadoff batter did not reach base. But it was also the only time all game the Blazers managed back-to-back hits. A one-out double from right fielder Ryan Ussery in the second inning followed by an RBI single from catcher Harry Clark plated the UAB run to tie the game at 1-1.
But Samford responded with three runs in the top of the third frame and never trailed again. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases with one out, and left fielder David Schulze cleared them with a double to the gap in right center.
Five of Samford's nine hits went for extra bases on three doubles and two triples. Shortstop Austin Allison had a double and a triple and matched Schulze for game-high honors with three RBI. After the Bulldogs managed single runs in the sixth and seventh frames, Allison capped the scoring by driving home two with his ninth-inning triple.
UAB starter Shay Crawford surrendered the first five Samford runs in five and one-third innings as he suffered the first loss in his last three outings. Crawford struck out five and walked five while allowing five hits.
Samford starter Josh Martin worked a pre-determined three innings and allowed the only UAB run on his way to the win. Martin then turned the ball over to Bulldog relievers Charles Terry and Lex Rutledge, who combined to hold the Blazers scoreless on five hits over the final six innings.
Shortstop Jonathan Merritt and first baseman Luke Stewart led the Blazers with two hits each, while Allison and second baseman Michael Johnson posted a pair of hits for Samford. UAB center fielder Jamal Austin saw his 12-game hitting streak come to an end with an 0-for-3 night but did reach base in the fifth inning when he was hit by a pitch.
Samford pitchers hit two UAB batters in the game, but the Bulldog staff did not issue a walk until Rutledge surrendered a two-out free pass to Merritt in the ninth.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak in the series for UAB, which had swept the two-game season series from the Bulldogs in each of the past two years.
