The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
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Western Michigan
UAB Baseball Sweeps Western Michigan To Open 2015
2/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game One: Final Stats | Final Stats (PDF)
Game Two: Final Stats | Final Stats (PDF)
Photo Gallery 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Pitchers James Naile and Johnny Lieske both threw eight innings and didn't allow an earned run, while freshman hitter Brett Blackwood shined in his Blazer debut, as the UAB baseball team completed the sweep over Western Michigan with victories of 7-2 and 2-1 Saturday at Regions Field.
Solid pitching was again the strength for the Blazers (3-0), as the three weekend starters combined to throw 23.2 innings of work, not allowing an earned run over the three-game set.
Offensively, Nathan Vincent led the way with four hits in the doubleheader, including a double and a triple with three RBI. Blackwood was the team's leader on the day in RBI with four off two hits, and Adam Smith also had two RBI and three hits on the day.
Game One Recap
After being injured last season, redshirt junior pitcher James Naile made his first appearance since May 2013 and shined on the hill. The Charleston, Mo. Native went eight innings and allowed just three hits and struck out six Broncos.
UAB jumped on Western Michigan early in the second inning, and again in the fourth and the sixth with two runs each to chase the Broncos' starter after three innings of work.
Blackwood, in his first career collegiate game, made the most of his first at-bat, drilling a deep home run well over the left field wall to put the Blazers up 2-0.
He then got the fourth inning started with a walk on a full count, as Tyler Mims followed with the same result. After Matt Morse dropped a bunt down to load the bases, Smith put a single through to left field, scoring Blackwood and Mims.
With a 4-0 lead, UAB struck again in the sixth on a two-out rally to plate two more runs. Adam Lau, who entered the game as a sub in the outfield, singled to right before Jeff Schalk and Esteban Tresgallo both drew walks. The bases were loaded for Blackwood, who, in his fourth career at-bat, delivered again on a two-RBI single to left field, scoring Lau and Schalk.
The Broncos posted one run in the seventh on a double to center field after a Blazer error, but UAB fired back in the bottom of the frame. Smith led off the inning with a double, and after he was moved to third on a groundout from Chase Davis, Vincent singled to plate Smith and record UAB's seventh and final run of the contest.
UAB headed to the ninth with a comfortable 7-1 lead and handed the ball off to redshirt sophomore Nick Altobella, who had just one appearance in his career. After he surrendered two hits, two walks and a run, freshman Gavin Niquette was called to the hill. The Tallahassee, Fla. native came through in a big moment, striking out his first batter and drawing a fly out to right to seal the win for the Blazers.
Game Two Recap
Redshirt senior Johnny Lieske dealt in eight innings of work in game two, striking out seven Broncos with just four hits allowed and one walk. He exited after the top half of the eighth, which is when the UAB offense came alive to score two.
With one out in the frame, Smith singled to right to put one on for Chase Davis, who put a bunt down for a single and setup two on and one out for Vincent. After a pitching change, the Broncos' third of the night, Vincent doubled, putting UAB on the board in what would be the game-winning hit for the Blazers.
But again, Western Michigan put up a fight in the top of the ninth, allowing for a UAB freshman pitcher to shine in his debut. Lau, a junior, entered to pitch and allowed a triple and a single to cut the Blazers' lead to 2-1, before the Broncos advanced a runner to second and struck out for the second out of the frame.
Freshman Ryan Ruggles was handed the ball to close it out for the Blazers, and he did just that, striking out the final Western Michigan hitter on a full count to cap the 2-1 victory and complete the sweep for the Blazers.
UAB returns to the diamond on Tuesday in a home contest vs. Jacksonville State at 4 p.m. at Regions Field.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball). For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official Twitter account of UAB Athletics (@UABAthletics).
