The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Set To Open C-USA Play at Middle Tennessee
3/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
UAB (10-4, 0-0 C-USA) at Middle Tennessee (8-6, 0-0 C-USA)
Details: Reese Smith Jr. Field • Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Friday, March 13 - 6 p.m. •Saturday, March 14 - 4 p.m. •Sunday, March 15 - 1 p.m.
Game Coverage: Twitter
Live Stats: Game One • Game Two • Game Three
Game Notes: UAB
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB's baseball team opens its 20th season of play in Conference USA this weekend when the Blazers travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for a three-game set with Middle Tennessee.
First pitch in the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT Friday night. The middle game is set for 4 p.m. CT Saturday and the series will close Sunday at 1 p.m.
Live stats will be available for all three games and information to access those can be found in the links above or at GoBlueRaiders.com.
Series History
UAB and Middle Tennessee first met in UAB's second year as a program back in 1980. The two teams will be meeting this weekend for just the second time in a league series, as the Blue Raiders are entering their second year in Conference USA.
The Green and Gold took two-of-three from Middle Tennessee last season, and have won two-straight over the Blue Raiders. The two teams will be clashing in Murfreesboro for the first time since March 21, 2001 when MT claimed a 3-0 win.
Scouting The Opponent
Middle Tennessee enters the C-USA opening weekend with an overall mark of 8-6, having lost two in a row in a midweek two-game series to Memphis. The Blue Raiders were picked to finish eighth according to the league's head coaches in the C-USA Preseason Poll, and begin just their second season of play in the league.
MT is 4-2 this season with a sweep over Western Illinois, and they dropped two-of-three from Iowa in the previous home series.
MT is led by four hitters batting over .300, with Brad Jarreau leading the way batting at a clip of .370. He's tied for the team lead in hits with 20, while Michael Adkins leads the Blue Raider offense with 17 RBI. Jared Allen is MT's power hitter statistically, with three home runs on the year. Ronnie Jebavy is the C-USA leader in stolen bases with nine, a squad that is 17-for-21 on the base paths this season
The Blue Raiders enter the weekend with a 4.90 team ERA, led by reliever Garrett Ring who hasn't given up an earned run in 9.2 IP. Johnathan Frebis is 2-1 in four games started with a 3.86 ERA. Nate Hoffman is 0-1 in two starts with a 3.78 ERA in 16.2 IP.
Current Streaks for the Blazers
Junior shortstop Adam Smith, UAB's leader in hits and second on the team in RBI, carries a 13-game hit streak into the weekend. Senior Nathan Vincent has hit safely in 11-straight, and leads the team with a .390 batting average on the year.
Junior Evan Peterson has the squad's third-best batting average (.361), and has hit safely in eight straight. Redshirt senior Tyler Mims carries an 8-game reached base streak into Murfreesboro.
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).
