The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Baseball Welcomes Western Kentucky to Young Memorial Field
3/31/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB baseball team continues its Conference USA schedule this weekend at Young Memorial Field with a three-game series against Western Kentucky.
The league series begins Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday’s first pitch is set for 2 p.m., and the set wraps up Sunday with a 1 p.m. start.
The Blazers go into the series with a 2-4 C-USA record, taking two of three from LA Tech while suffering a sweep at FAU, while the Toppers enter with an even 3-3 conference record.
Junior Riley McCown heads up the Green and Gold lineup, batting a hot .400 in his last five games. The outfielder has four hits in his last 10 trips to the plate and has driven in three runs. Leadoff hitter Brewer Hicklen is on a tear as well, collecting seven hits over the five-game stretch with six RBIs.
Lefty Ryan Ruggles and freshman Tanner Graham have been given nods to start games one and two, respectively. Both have started a team-leading six games and have logged 30-plus innings. Ruggles is 2-2 with a terrific 2.76 ERA, and Graham is settling into his first collegiate season with a 2-1 mark and 4.83 ERA.
Touting a 14-10 record, WKU is led at the plate by Danny Hudzina. The three-hole slugger is hitting .462 and leads the Toppers with 104 at-bats. His 48 hits lead the lineup, and he boasts a .500 on-base percentage.
Left-hander Austin King is scheduled to start Friday’s contest, and right-hander Josh Bartley gets the nod Saturday. King is 2-1 with a 3.67 ERA in six starts this season, while Bartley is tied for the team lead with three wins. Bartley’s ERA sits at 4.33, but he has contributed to two shutouts this year.
Live stats and video are available on UABSports.com. Also, listen to the Saturday and Sunday games live with “The Voice of the Blazers” David Crane on WAPI-AM 1070. The broadcast begins 10 minutes before 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).
