The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Baseball Opens Home Slate This Weekend Versus Xavier
2/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2011
Game Notes 
| Friday Gametracker | Watch Live
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- After four straight games away from home to open the season, the UAB baseball team will see its first action at Young Memorial Field this weekend when the Blazers host Xavier for a three-game non-conference series.
UAB (1-3) and Xavier (2-1) get things started Friday with a 3 p.m. CT first pitch, and the action continues Saturday and Sunday.
This Weekend's Schedule
Game 1 -- Friday (3 p.m. CT)
Pitching Probables: RHP Dillon Napoleon (UAB) vs. RHP Tyler Koors (XU)
Game 2 -- Saturday (2 p.m. CT)
Pitching Probables: RHP Ryan Woolley (UAB) vs. LHP Jon Richard (XU)
Game 3 -- Sunday (12 p.m. CT)
Pitching Probables: RHP Michael Busby (UAB) vs. RHP Vinny Nittoli (XU)
Live Coverage
All games this weekend will feature Gametracker live stats (free) and All-Access streaming video (premium) through uabsports.com
About UAB
UAB opens a nine-game home stand with this weekend's series against Xavier. After going 1-2 last weekend to open the season at the Auburn Tournament, the Blazers dropped a 3-1 decision Tuesday at Kennesaw State in their first midweek action.
As a team, UAB has struggled to get the bats going early this season, but Jamal Austin has picked up right where he left off last year. The junior center fielder is hitting .438 (7-for-16) and has already stolen four bases. Right fielder Ryan Ussery (.333) and third baseman Patrick Palmeiro (.313) have also gotten off to good starts, and the duo has combined to hit both of UAB's homers and drive in five of the team's 10 runs.
UAB has been effective on the mound, logging a 4.76 ERA in the early going. Friday starter Dillon Napoleon (0-0, 1.50 ERA) allowed just one run in six innings of work against Arkansas State last weekend, striking out five without a walk. Saturday starter Ryan Woolley (0-1, 7.20 ERA) is a two-time Major League draft pick. Sunday starter Michael Busby (0-1, 7.20 ERA) pitched effectively last weekend against Auburn in his first appearance in two years because of injury.
UAB coach Brian Shoop is beginning his fifth year with the Blazers. He owns a record of 111-121 (.478) at the school and a career record of 803-428-1 (.653).
Scouting Xavier
Xavier has been off since opening its season last weekend in Spartanburg, S.C. The Musketeers lost their opener to Wofford (10-9) but rebounded with wins over George Mason (11-3) and USC Upstate (8-6). Last season, Xavier posted an overall record of 26-32 and finished second in the Atlantic 10 with an 18-9 league record.
Through three games this year, Xavier is hitting .368 and averaging more than nine runs per contest. Outfielder John McCambridge paced the Musketeer attack last weekend with a .533 batting average (8-for-15), while first baseman Ben Thomas hit two of the team's three home runs and led the squad with six RBI. The Musketeers were also successful on seven of eight stolen base attempts.
On the mound, Xavier logged a 6.58 team ERA in its first weekend of play. The Musketeers are scheduled to start right-hander Tyler Koors (0-0, 3.00 ERA) against UAB in Friday's series opener, followed by left-hander Jon Richard (1-0, 1.29 ERA) on Saturday and righty Vinny Nittoli (0-0, 10.38 ERA) on Sunday.
Xavier coach Seth Googins is in his sixth season as a head coach, all of them at Xavier, and owns an overall record of 142-153.
All-Time Versus Xavier
Friday's series opener between UAB and Xavier will mark the first ever meeting between the schools on the baseball diamond.
The Last Time Out
Runs were hard to come by for both UAB and Kennesaw State in Tuesday's midweek baseball game. The Owls, though, managed to push enough of them across to hand the Blazers a 3-1 loss in Kennesaw, Ga.
UAB found the scoreboard first with a second-inning run but then watched Kennesaw State score single runs in each of the next three frames as the Owls remained unbeaten on the season.
Four Kennesaw State pitchers combined to allow only five hits, helping the Owls snap a three-game losing streak to UAB. The Blazers stranded nine runners on the night, including five in scoring position. KSU starter Travis Dean earned the win, allowing one run in four innings. UAB pitchers surrendered only seven hits on the night, but Kennesaw State made them count, scoring two of their runs with two-out hits.
Harry Clark drove in the Blazers' run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning. Trey Waltman suffered the loss for the Blazers.
