The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Louisiana Tech
LA Tech Avoids UAB Sweep With 5-4 Win Sunday
3/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB baseball team was not able to complete the sweep of Louisiana Tech University on Sunday afternoon, falling 5-4 at Regions Field.
LA Tech (10-6, 1-2 C-USA) used a two-run eighth to overcome UAB’s late-inning lead. Despite out-hitting the Bulldogs 8-6 in the finale, the Blazers (8-12, 2-1 C-USA) stranded 15 runners on base in the one-run loss.
“I thought we played incredibly poorly,” head coach Brian Shoop said. “Our pitching staff is going to be good, but they don’t walk eight batters. That’s not the way we play, and we left 15 guys on base. That’s hard to do. You almost can’t do that.”
The Green and Gold drew first blood in the first. Freshman Carter Pharis plated the first run with an RBI fielder’s choice, but the Bulldogs struck back in the third with two runs.
A couple of errors and a sacrifice fly from LA Tech designated hitter Cody Daigle put starting pitcher Austin Thomas and the Blazers down 2-1. The fourth inning yielded a third run via a Brent Diaz solo home run to left.
Trailing 3-1, the Blazers scored two to tie the contest, 3-3, in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs on the board and Adam Smith standing at second, Esteban Tresgallo singled to right-center to plate one. A few batters later, Mitch Williams drew a walk with the bases loaded.
The Blazers took a momentary lead in the fifth. Tresgallo earned his second RBI of the evening on a run-scoring fielder’s choice.
The Bulldogs scored their game-winning runs in the top of the eighth against relievers Dylan Munger (1-1) and Thomas Lowery. Munger exited the game with two runners on, and Lowery walked Diaz to load the bases. Garrett Dodd singled to drive in the tying run, and Chandler Hall hit a sac fly to center to deliver the go-ahead run.
“I told our kids that it’s not because we can’t — it’s because we didn’t,” Shoop said. “It’s not because we won’t ever — it’s because we haven’t yet. We just have to keep grinding and getting better. We have to hit with people in scoring position, and we have to get better at attacking the strike zone on the mound.”
UAB returns to action Tuesday to wrap up a six-game home stand. The Magic City welcomes the Alabama Crimson Tide to Regions Field for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.
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 social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
