The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Baseball Welcomes Utah For Three-Game Series
3/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 1, 2012
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The UAB baseball team will host a three-game series against the Pac 12’s Utah Utes, beginning Friday at 1:30 p.m. CT at Young Memorial Field. Friday’s game time was moved up from when it was originally scheduled (3 p.m.) due to possible inclement weather.
UAB (6-2) | Utah (1-7)
Series Times & Probable Starters
Game 1: Friday, 1:30 p.m. CT
UAB: RHP Dillon Napoleon (1-0, 1.23 ERA)
UTAH: RHP Joe Pond (1-1, 5.59 ERA)
Game 2: Saturday, 2 p.m. CT
UAB: RHP Ben Bullard (0-1, 4.22 ERA)
UTAH: TBA
Game 3: Sunday, 12 p.m. CT
UAB: TBA
UTAH: TBA
SCOUTING UAB
The Blazers have found ways to win in recent games, earning five-straight victories to sit at 6-2 on the season. Of the Blazers six wins this season, five have been by one run, including a 5-4 victory over Jacksonville State on Wednesday.
Taking the mound for UAB in game one is right-handed pitcher Dillon Napoleon. The senior has been spot on through his first two starts, allowing just two earned runs on nine hits over 14.2 innings pitched. Napoleon has recorded four strikeouts and is holding opponents to a .184 batting average.
In his last start, Napoleon gave up a first inning run before shutting down the Ball State offense the rest of the way. In total, the righty pitched 7.2 innings, giving up five hits with three strikeouts and no walks in a no decision.
Ben Bullard will toe the rubber on Saturday, after a career-best outing a week ago against the BSU Cardinals. Bullard bounced back after a tough first start at then-No. 16 Clemson by firing 7.0 innings of shutout ball. Equally, if not more impressive, was the righty’s control, as the Decatur, Ala. native totaled a career-high nine strikeouts to just one walk. Bullard did not figure in the decision, but the Blazers eventually won 1-0 in 12 innings.
Freshman Jeff Schalk has been the team’s top hitter through eight games, registering a batting average of .276 with two doubles and three RBI. Designated hitter Tyler Mims is hitting .273 with four RBI, while Patrick Palmeiro tops the team in extra-base hits (5), RBI (7) and slugging percentage (.500).
As a team, UAB has struggled to find some consistency at the plate. The Blazers are hitting just .230 as a team. However, the team pitching (2.96 ERA) and defense (.977 fielding percentage) has kept the Blazers in every game in 2012.
SCOUTING UTAH
The Utes have been on a bit of a slide recently, dropping their last six games, including all four at the Kleberg Bank College Classic hosted by Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Like the Blazers, Utah has had its struggles at the plate in 2012. Utah owns a team batting average of just .221. Despite the difficulty as a team to hit, two players have stood out so far this season. Parker Morin tops the team with a .355 batting average and has a team-best seven RBI. James Brooks (.323 batting average) is not far behind Morin, as he has roped 10 hits, including a homer along and five RBI.
Utah only announced Friday’s starter – right-hander Joe Pond – for the weekend series. On the season, Pond has collected the Utes’ lone victory, when he defeated UC Davis on the road (Feb. 18). For the season, Pond has pitched 9.2 innings over two starts, surrendering six earned runs on 17 hits. Opponents are hitting a robust .364 against Pond.
As a staff, Utah has given up 98 hits in 68.0 innings as opponents are hitting .354 vs. the Utes’ arms. The opposition is reaching base at a substantial rate against Utah at a .441 on-base clip.
