The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Conference Play Starts For Baseball With Marshall
3/22/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 22, 2012
Game Notes 
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The UAB baseball team opens up conference play by hosting the Marshall Thundering Herd for a three-game series, starting up on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Young Memorial Field.
UAB (14-8) | Marshall (9-11)
Game Times & Probable Starters
Game 1: Fri., 6:30 p.m. CT
UAB: RHP Dillon Napoleon (3-1, 2.73 ERA)
MU: RHP Aaron Blair (1-3, 3.45 ERA)
Game 2: Sat., 2 p.m. CT
UAB: RHP Ben Bullard (1-2, 2.70 ERA)
MU: LHP Mike Mason (3-1, 2.59 ERA)
Game 3: Sun., 1 p.m. CT
UAB: RHP Michael Busby (1-1, 2.28 ERA)
MU: LHP Wayland Moore (0-0, 5.54 ERA)
All-Time Series
UAB leads the all-times series, 12-10, after taking two-of-three at Power Park in Charleston, W.Va. last season.
Last Meeting
Runs were at a premium in the 2011 series between the two squads as UAB outlasted Marshall in a 14-inning finale, 2-1, to take the series. The Blazers captured game one, 3-2, while the Herd claimed the second contest by the identical score. A total of only 13 runs were scored by both teams over three games.
SCOUTING UAB
UAB claimed a game that had been suspended at Jacksonville State on Feb. 28, this past Wednesday by a 14-8 score. JSU returned the favor by knocking off the Blazers, 4-3, with both games being played at Rudy Abbott Field.
Prior to the two midweek games, UAB went 1-2 at the C.C. Classic hosted by Coastal Carolina a weekend ago.
Pitching Pointers
The UAB pitching staff has been one of the strong points of the team in 2012, led by the starting rotation. In total, Blazer arms own a team ERA of 3.45 with nearly three times as many strikeouts (156) as walks (58). Opponents are hitting .241 against UAB, collecting 179 hits in 198.0 total innings.
Making his sixth start of the year is right-hander Dillon Napoleon on Friday. In four of his five outings, Napoleon has held opponents to one earned run or less. Napoleon has logged 33.0 total innings and has allowed only 25 hits and 10 runs (all earned). He has held opponents to a .217 batting average.
On Saturday, righty Ben Bullard gets the nod for the Blazers. Bullard is coming off one of the most impressive pitching performances in UAB history. On March 17 against Michigan, the Decatur, Ala., native tied a school record with 15 strikeouts, 14 of which were swinging. Unfortunately for Bullard, the record-setting outing came in a 3-1 loss. On the season, Bullard ranks second in Conference USA with 40 punch outs and has walked just five.
The series finale will be started by right-hander Michael Busby. In his last start, Busby held Coastal Carolina hitless through the first 5.1 innings prior to falling into trouble. The Chanticleers eventually won the game, 7-0.
Busby has made six appearances, four of which have been starts, allowing only six earned runs in 23.2 innings. For the season, the senior has 18 strikeouts compared to only five walks.
A Look At The Lineup
The Blazer offense has had its up and downs, as the team is hitting at a .268 clip. UAB has hit only four homers, but has rocketed 34 doubles as a club.
Ivan De Jesus tops the team with a .310 batting average and has started 20 of 22 games. De Jesus also leads the team in steals with five and has only been caught once.
Over the last eight games, Ryan Ussery has been a bright spot in for the Blazers hitting .353 (12-for-34). He has roped four doubles, one homer and knocked in four.
Patrick Palmeiro has been in the middle of the lineup for the Blazers all year and has knocked in a team-high 16 runs along with a team-best eight doubles.
SCOUTING MARSHALL
The Thundering Herd won a midweek game against Ohio to improve its record to 9-11. Marshall owns a team batting average of .258, with 10 homers and stole 28 bases.
Isaac Ballou and Nathan Gomez are two players to keep an eye on in the Herd lineup.
Ballou sports a .307 batting average and reaching base at a .443 clip. The speedster is nine for 12 on stolen base attempts, has drawn 17 walks and knocked in 10.
Gomez ranks third in C-USA with 23 RBI and hitting at the same .307 average as Ballou. The first baseman has hit six doubles and two homers, along with a team-high 35 total bases.
On the mound, Mike Mason has put together a solid senior season. The southpaw has 32 strikeouts to eight walks in 31.1 innings. He tops the team with three wins and has a 2.59 ERA.
In total, the Herd staff owns a 4.63 ERA with 156 strikeouts and 81 walks in 171.0 innings.
