The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Jacksonville State
Blazer Bullpen Pitches UAB Past Jacksonville State, 7-5
4/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 27, 2010
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JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- The UAB baseball team did most of its damage early Tuesday, and the Blazer bullpen held Jacksonville State to one run over the final six innings in a 7-5 win at Rudy Abbott Field.
UAB third baseman Andrew Manning went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs, while first baseman Luke Stewart hit his team-leading 12th homer of the season.
Beau Pender led the relief effort for the Blazers with three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to earn the win. The right-hander struck out three and was part of a bullpen effort that did not allow a walk.
"Something we've been missing lately is consistency from our bullpen, and we had that tonight," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "It was huge that our bullpen did not allow a walk, and Beau was especially good. He had all three pitches working for strikes, which was nice to see again."
The Blazers (21-17) and Gamecocks (20-19) will meet again Wednesday night in Birmingham with the first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. CT at Young Memorial Field. The game will air live on WJOX-AM 690 courtesy of the Blazers ISP Sports Network, and fans can also follow the action through All-Access streaming video and Gametracker live stats online at uabsports.com.
In Tuesday's game, UAB used a five-run second inning to grab the lead early. After the first three Blazer hitters reached, catcher Harry Clark drew a bases-loaded walk to open the scoring. Manning followed with a two-RBI double and left fielder Bradley Hicks added a run-scoring single before Jacksonville State ever recorded an out in the inning. When center fielder Jamal Austin grounded into a double play to plate Manning from third, UAB had opened up a 5-0 advantage.
Jacksonville State found the scoreboard in the bottom of the second on a two-run homer from designated hitter Orrin McFadden. The Gamecocks then tacked on two more in the third on a two-out single from shortstop Jake Sharrock, cutting the UAB lead to 5-4.
The first four JSU runs were charged to UAB starter Shay Crawford, who took a no-decision. After the third inning, the Gamecocks didn't manage another run until an eighth-inning solo shot from right fielder Kyle Bluestein.
Following Pender's three shutout innings, Ben Bullard came on to pitch one and two-thirds, and Nick Graffeo closed the door over the final one and one-third to earn his fifth save of the season. UAB pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts in the game, led by five from Crawford.
UAB picked up a couple of insurance runs late. Austin singled in the seventh, stole second and third and then came home on a triple from shortstop Jonathan Merritt. Stewart then blasted his solo shot in the eighth. Austin, who leads Conference USA in stolen bases, is now 21-for-24 on the year.
Merritt added a double and joined Manning, Hicks and designated hitter John Frost with two hits in the game for UAB. Sharrock led all players in the game with three hits for Jacksonville State.
Tuesday's win snapped a six-game losing skid for the Blazers.
