The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Savannah State
Blazers Scratch Out 7-6 Win, Sweep Savannah State
2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB baseball team battled Savannah State back-and-forth for the duration of the series finale, breaking through in the eighth for the game-winning score to defeat the Tigers, 7-6, and sweep the series Sunday afternoon at Young Memorial Field.
UAB (6-0) used a five-run second to go up early, but the Tigers (3-4) responded with four runs in their next chance. The squads swapped single runs again in the fourth, Savannah State tied it in the fifth, before the Blazers put the seventh run on the board in the eighth inning to claim the win.
"It's on one hand disappointing to only score two from the second inning on, but on the other hand that's kind of the nature of our sport -- lopsided game one day, close game the next day," head coach Brian Shoop said. "Credit to Savannah State for losing big yesterday, getting down five today and battling back."
The Blazers got the eighth going after an error on the Tigers' third baseman. A wild pitch sent Adam Smith to second and Evan Peterson walked. After a Blazer strikeout for the second out, both runners advanced again on a wild pitch before Matthew Furuto walked to load the bases for Chase Davis. Savannah State reliever Sherman Graves then threw his third wild pitch of the inning, sending home Smith in what would be the game winner for the Green and Gold.
Nathan Vincent led the Blazers with four RBI and hit the first home run of his career, a three-run shot in the second. Davis added two RBI off two hits, while Peterson also finished the game with two hits in three tries.
Smith executed a perfect bunt for a single in the second to setup the five-run frame. After Peterson pushed a single to right, Mitch Williams walked, setting up the bases loaded for Davis who singled to left-center to plate two runs. That setup Vincent's three-run blast to left-center to make it 5-0 UAB after two.
After Savannah State battled back with four runs in the third and one in the fourth, UAB got one back in the fourth when Vincent singled to left to plate Furuto who walked earlier in the inning.
UAB starter Johnny Lieske went four innings on the hill, giving way to freshman Gavin Niquette, who tossed three innings with just two hits allowed in solid relief work.
Sophomore Thomas Lowery pitched the eighth, before Adam Lau closed it for the Blazers, earning the save in his second appearance of the season.
"(Gavin) Niquette did real well for us and I thought that's the best Adam's (Lau) thrown all year and that's what he's capable of doing," Shoop said. "We got to play a lot of people this weekend and that's good. It was a good weekend for us, hopefully we can get the two midweek games in this week against two good clubs, then we've got the Buckeyes coming to town which should be fun."
UAB returns to Regions Field on Tuesday to host Alabama A&M, before traveling to Montgomery Wednesday for a game vs. Alabama State.
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).
