The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Baseball Plays Home Opener On Friday
2/23/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2012
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The UAB baseball team will take on the Ball State Cardinals in a three-game series, starting Friday at 3 p.m. Friday will serve as the 2012 home opener for the Blazers at Young Memorial Field.
UAB (2-2) | Ball State (1-1)
All-Time Series: UAB leads 10-7
Last Meeting: UAB 6, Ball State 5 (2/28/10)
Series Times & Probable Starters
Game 1: Friday, 3 p.m. CT
UAB – RHP Dillon Napoleon (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
BSU – RHP Cal Bowling (0-0, 2.70 ERA)
Game 2: Saturday, 2 p.m. CT
UAB – RHP Ben Bullard (0-1, 12.27 ERA)
BSU – LHP Nestor Bautista (0-1, 47.25 ERA)
Game 3: Sunday, 1 p.m. CT
UAB – TBA
BSU – RHP T.J. Weir (N/A)
SCOUTING UAB
The Blazers enter the series with a record of 2-2 after holding off Alabama State, 3-2, in a midweek road contest on Tuesday.
Taking the mound in game one of the series will be right-hander Dillon Napoleon. The senior put forth an outstanding season debut on the road, as he earned the win against No. 16 Clemson last Friday night. He fired 7.0 innings, giving up one earned run on four hits en route to being named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week.
On Saturday, the Blazers will give the nod to righty Ben Bullard. The Decatur, Ala. native struggled in his first start as the Tigers roughed him up for five earned runs over 3.2 innings. The junior has produced in the win-loss category throughout his career in Green and Gold, owning a record of 10-3 at UAB.
Sunday’s starter for UAB has not been announced at this time. A possibility could be Michael Busby, who tossed a career-high 6.1 innings at Clemson in a no decision. He allowed one earned run on five hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Offensively, the Blazers are still trying to find their rhythm. As a team, UAB is hitting just .240 and scored 10 runs through four games. However, the Blazers have collected 31 hits as a team compared to 25 by their opponents.
SCOUTING BALL STATE
The Cardinals travel south from Muncie, Ind., with a record of 1-1.
BSU earned a 4-3 win over Dayton in Spartanburg, S.C. at a tournament hosted by Wofford. The Cardinals then dropped a 10-1 decision to USC Upstate. The third game of the tournament against the host school, Wofford, was rained out.
Friday starter Cal Bowling logged a strong first outing for the Cardinals in a no decision. The right-hander worked 6.2 innings, scattering nine hits, allowing three runs (two earned) with five strikeouts.
BSU’s Saturday starter, Nestor Bautista did not produce the same kind of success in his first start of 2012. The lefty managed to only pitch into the second inning, as USC Upstate crossed home seven times against him.
T.J. Weir will start his first game of 2012, as the versatile player also serves as the starting shortstop.
Through just two games, BSU is hitting .203 as a team, while opponents are hitting .329.
