The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Baseball Opens Conference USA Play Friday Against LA Tech
3/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB baseball team welcomes Louisiana Tech University to the Magic City on Friday night to begin the Conference USA slate.
The Blazers and Bulldogs square off in a three-game series at Regions Field at 6:30 p.m. Friday, with Saturday’s game scheduled for 2 p.m. and the Sunday finale at 1 p.m.
UAB takes a 6-11 record into the weekend, coming off back-to-back losses against No. 8 Ole Miss at home. The Green and Gold is looking to snap a five-game skid against a 9-4 Bulldogs team that has gone 3-2 in its last five games.
Creighton claimed two games over the Blazers by one run, while the other victory came by just two runs last weekend, and the UAB pitching staff limited the powerful Ole Miss offense to eight scoreless innings Wednesday in its last outing.
Senior Esteban Tresgallo has begun to heat up at the plate for head coach Brian Shoop’s squad after a slow start to begin the season. The third baseman/catcher is hitting .270 in his last 10 games, totaling 10 hits with three doubles and a home run, while fellow senior Griffin Gum continues to be the fixture of the UAB offense with a .281 average. Gum and Tresgallo are tied for the team lead in hits with 16 and have each swiped four bases in five attempts.
Pitchers Ryan Ruggles and Tanner Graham are slated to start the first two games of the series. Left-hander Ruggles is 1-1 in four starts with a 3.15 ERA and leads the starting rotation with 14 strikeouts. Graham has also started four games and is holding opposing batters to a .188 batting average over a team-high 22 innings of work. Sunday’s starter has yet to be announced.
Across the diamond, the Bulldogs come to Regions Field with a couple of impressive wins under their belts. LA Tech claimed a 6-2 win over No. 6 Louisiana-Lafayette on Feb. 24 and a 3-2 win over No. 12 Arkansas on March 2, while falling, 6-2, to No. 6 LSU on March 8 in Baton Rouge.
Five Bulldog batters sport a +.300 batting average, and junior Raphael Gladu leads the way with a .463 average. The infielder has 19 hits and six extra-base hits to go along with nine RBIs this season. He is sporting a .540 on-base percentage and is 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts.
UAB currently holds a 9-8 all-time advantage over LA Tech. The Blazers took last year’s series, 2-1, with an 18-9 blowout and 4-2 victory. The Bulldogs took the middle game of the three-game series 7-2.
Ticket Special: Every Sunday this season, fans can purchase a $1 child’s ticket with the purchase of a regularly priced adult’s ticket.
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