The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Savannah State
Blazers Explode Offensively In 20-0 Win Over Savannah State
2/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB baseball bats came alive in a 20-run performance on Saturday, scoring the most runs in a game since 2009 as the Blazers shutout Savannah State, 20-0, at Young Memorial Field in a rain-shortened seven inning contest.
The Blazers (5-0) posted 15 hits, drew nine walks and scored at least five runs in three different innings to claim the series in the victory over the Tigers.
Jeff Schalk went 4-for-4 from the plate with two home runs and six RBI, while Adam Lau and Esteban Tresgallo also went deep for their first long balls of 2015.
Redshirt junior James Naile was dominant again on the hill, going 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts and no runs allowed. Freshman lefty Stephen Baggett pitched the final 1.1 innings and also totaled one strikeout.
Schalk got his day and the Blazers' offense started in the first, crushing a two-run home run to right field to put the Blazers up, 2-0. Freshman Brett Blackwood continued his hot start to his freshman season when he doubled with two outs. After Tyler Mims reached on a Tiger error, Lau singled to make the score 3-0. Matt Morse went on to single to center field before the Blazers executed a double steal when Lau stole home to make it a 5-0 contest after one.
The Blazers chased Savannah State's starter after the first, but then jumped on reliever Malik Jones for five more runs in the second. In all, Jones issued six walks and allowed five runs in his 0.1 innings pitched. The hit he allowed was a Blackwood double, which plated two more Blazer runs. Three more walks ensued, two scoring runs, before the Tigers made a pitching change. Adam Smith went on to record an RBI in the inning before the five-run frame came to a close, putting UAB up 10-0 after two.
Two Tiger errors in the third plated two more UAB runs, before the Blazers put together their biggest inning of the day, a six-run fourth. Smith led-off with a single before Chase Davis doubled to setup two on for Schalk, who brought both runners home on a double to right-center. Tresgallo followed with the first home run of his Blazer career, just before Lau homered to left for two more runs, totaling six in the inning off six hits to make the score 18-0 after four.
Davis tripled with one out in the fifth and Schalk followed with his second home run of the day to plate the final two runs and cap UAB's biggest scoring output since March 28, 2009 when the Blazers defeated Savannah State, 20-2.
In all, four Blazers finished with multiple hits. Blackwood and Morse both drove in two runs, and Lau finished with four RBI.
UAB and Savannah State will close the series at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Young Memorial Field. Check back with UABSports.com to stay updated on any more schedule changes for the weekend.
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).
