The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Baseball Hosts KSU, Samford In Midweek Clashes
4/23/2012 12:00:00β―AM | Baseball
April 23, 2012
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The UAB baseball team will host a pair of midweek games as part of a five-game week at Young Memorial Field. The Blazers will take on Kennesaw State on Tuesday, followed by entertaining Samford on Wednesday, with both games starting at 6:30 p.m. CT.
UAB (23-18) | Kennesaw State (26-17) | Samford (25-15)
Game Information & Probable Starters
Location: Birmingham, Ala. (Young Memorial Field)
Blazer Vision/GameTracker/Live Chat: UABsports.com
Game 1: Tues., 6:30 p.m. CT
UAB: RHP Michael Busby (2-2, 3.83 ERA)
KSU: RHP Kevin McCoy (0-3, 2.37 ERA)
Game 2: Wed., 6:30 p.m. CT
UAB: TBA
SAM: TBA
All-Time Series
vs. Kennesaw State - KSU leads, 7-5
vs. Samford - UAB leads, 53-21
Last Meeting: KSU 7, UAB 3 (3/13/12)
UAB pounded out 10 hits as a club, including two-hit games from Jeff Schalk, Ryan Ussery and Tanner Bryant, but the Owls used a five-run fifth inning to defeat the Blazers 7-3 at Stillwell Stadium.
The big blow in the fifth came on a Ronnie Freeman grand slam to account for four of the five runs in the frame for the Owls.
Michael Busby, who will start against the Owls on Tuesday, also toed the rubber for UAB at Kennesaw in the previous meeting. The right-hander worked the first three innings, scattering four hits and not allowing a run, but did not figure in the decision.
Last Meeting: Samford 11, UAB 0 (4/18/12)
The UAB baseball team held Samford to six hits, but the home Bulldogs maximized their opportunities with runners on base to clip the Blazers, 11-0, at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Harry Clark tied a career-high with three hits, including a double in the loss.
UAB Scouting Report
>The Blazers are 23-18 after posting a 2-2 record last week, which featured winning two of three against Gardner-Webb in the team's off week from conference play.
>UAB is hitting .269 as a club with 16 homers and averaging 4.9 runs off 9.4 hits per game.
>OF Jeff Schalk leads the team with a .324 batting average. The freshman has walked 20 times to go along with his team-best 46 hits for a team-high .412 on-base percentage.
>OF Ryan Ussery tops the Blazers with four homers and is slugging at a .481 clip. He also owns a .288 batting average for the season.
>UAB is 35 of 43 on steal attempts, with Ivan De Jesus leading the charge with 10 swipes in 12 attempts.
>Tuesday starter Michael Busby sports a 2-2 record and 3.83 ERA. In 49.1 innings, the right-hander has allowed 21 earned runs off 48 hits with 33 strikeouts and only 11 walks. He is holding opponents to a .265 batting average against him.
>As a staff, UAB has a 4.23 ERA with 273 strikeouts and 117 walks in 370.1 innings.
>Opponents are hitting .265 against the UAB arms.
>UAB is 19-10 in non-conference games this season and 12-3 in non-league games at Young Memorial Field. In midweek games, the Blazers own an impressive 8-3 record.
Kennesaw State Scouting Report
>The Owls captured two of three at home vs. Belmont over the weekend to sit at 26-17 overall and 12-6 in the Atlantic Sun.
>KSU has a .298 team batting average with 34 homers in 43 games. The Owls are averaging 6.3 runs and 10.5 hits per game.
>Andy Chriscaden tops the team in homers (11), RBI (45) and total bases (106), while hitting .341 and slugging .624.
>Aaron Dobbs leads the Owls in batting average, hitting at a .371 clip, runs scored (40), walks (25) and stolen bases (26).
>KSU starter Kevin McCoy owns an 0-3 record and 2.37 ERA. The righty has made 14 total appearances, including two starts, totaling 30.1 innings. McCoy has allowed eight earned runs off 32 hits with 30 strikeouts and 10 walks.
>The Owls' staff has collected 343 strikeouts to 166 walks in 383.2 innings pitched.
Samford Scouting Report
>The Bulldogs enter the week with a 25-15 record, after sweeping Western Carolina over the weekend.
>Samford has hit 42 homers in 40 games and hitting at a .298 clip as a team. The Bulldogs are averaging 6.8 runs and 10.4 hits per game.
>Brandon Miller tops the squad in round trippers with 16. He also has a team-best 45 RBI and 103 total bases.
>Saxon Butler is another dangerous hitter in the Bulldog lineup, sporting a .346 batting average with seven homers and 32 RBI.
>The Samford pitching staff owns a 3.73 ERA with 333 strikeouts in 357.1 innings.
