The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers, Hornets Face Off In Mid-Week Games
5/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
UAB (24-21, 11-13 C-USA) vs. Alabama State (30-15, 18-6 SWAC)
Details: Regions Field | Birmingham, Ala.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 | 6:30 p.m. CT // Wednesday, May 6, 2015 | 6 p.m.
Montgomery, Ala. | Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex
UAB Game Notes | Follow the Blazers: Twitter
Game 1: Live Stats | Live Video
Game 2: Live Stats
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB's baseball team returns to Regions Field on Tuesday night for a midweek non-conference clash against Alabama State. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
Tuesday's contest is the first of two games this week between the two ball clubs. UAB travels to Alabama State on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. contest.
Live stats and live video will be available for Tuesday's game. Information to that can be accessed at UABSports.com or in the links above.
Leading Off
- UAB meets Alabama State for the 25th time in school history in its final home midweek game of the 2015 season at Regions Field.
- The Blazers are coming off a series loss to No. 14 Florida Atlantic this past weekend. UAB won Friday night's contest against the Owls, 6-0, marking the first time this season Conference USA's top hitting team has been shutout. The Blazers fell, 18-4, and 5-2, to wrap up the series.
- Junior RHP James Naile pitched a gem against No. 14 FAU last Friday. FAU came into the game averaging 11 hits per contest as a team against C-USA opponents, but Naile held the Owls to just four hits in 7.2 innings pitched. Naile retired 24 of the 29 batters he faced and struck out five.
- UAB senior Nathan Vincent is coming off an outstanding series against FAU. Vincent led the team with a .455 batting average, with five hits, including a triple and a RBI. Fellow senior Jeff Schalk reached base 10 times against the Owls to go along with three doubles, a homerun and four RBI.
- RHP/DH Adam Lau was named to the 2015 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year watch list, an award given annually to the nation's top player both on the mound and at the plate. He is one of 36 players nationwide to earn the honor.
- UAB turns 1.05 double plays per game, which ranks No. 15 in the NCAA, and the Blazers are 26th overall with 43 double plays. UAB is also second in C-USA with a .971 fielding percentage.
Series History
Tuesday's game is the 25th meeting between UAB and Alabama State, with the Blazers holding a 22-2 all-time series advantage.
UAB and Alabama State have met in four-straight seasons (including Tuesday's game) with UAB owning a 3-1 advantage against the Hornets during that time. The Blazers won last year's meeting in Montgomery, 13-1.
Scouting The Opponent
Alabama State currently sits at the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division standings with an 18-6 league record. The Hornets clinched the division title this past weekend and have now done so in back-to-back years. ASU has won 30 games in three consecutive seasons.
The Hornets are led at the plate by senior outfielder Cesar Rivera, who boasts a .406 batting average and a team-high 57 hits. Rivera also has 26 extra base hits and 37 RBI.
As a team, Alabama State hits at a .314 clip, which is the best team hitting percentage in the SWAC. The Hornets are ranked second in the SWAC in team earned run average, boasting a 4.65 team ERA.
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).
