The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Picked to Finish Ninth in C-USA
1/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB baseball team was picked to finish ninth in Conference USA in a vote by the league's head coaches, announced earlier today by the conference.
"We have a really good group of athletes to go along with character, work ethic and a team that loves each other," said head coach Brian Shoop. "We have good chemistry and that will be tested during the season, but up until now, it's been phenomenal."
The Blazers were picked to finish ninth out of 12 teams. Last season, UAB finished in the same position after posting a 21-34 overall record and 12-18 in C-USA play. The Green & Gold were competitive even in their losses, posting a 3-11 in one-run games in 2016.
"That's a fine line," said Shoop. "There is such a fine line between being good and not. Our record in one-run games could've flipped either way. We beat the Big 10 Champion (Ohio State) on the road, Rice on the road, the Conference USA Champion (Southern Miss) two-out-of-three at home, another NCAA Regional participant (Louisiana Tech) two-out-of-three at home. It's a fine line, but I feel good about our team. I think we will be super competitive if things fall into place."
The only two Blazers to start all 55 games a season ago return for UAB. Carter Pharis and Brewer Hicklen each enter their second seasons. Pharis led the team with a .297 average last season while also pacing the way with 36 RBI. The sophomore earned All-League honors in the Valley League over the summer. Hicklen, who split duties with the UAB football team this fall as a wide receiver, batted .289 last year with a team-high 37 runs, 22 steals and four triples on his way to Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors.
The UAB pitching staff returns over 90 percent of its innings pitched from last season. Former All-Conference USA honoree Ryan Ruggles returns after his first full season as a starter where he posted a 6-4 record with a 4.18 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 71 innings. Thomas Lowery leads the bullpen after posting eight saves last year with a 2.82 ERA across 51 innings.
Shoop embarks on his 11th season with UAB and 28th year as a head coach. He enters the season just 18 wins shy of reaching 1,000 career victories and 17 wins away from 300 in the Green & Gold.
The Blazers will hold their first practice this Friday, January 27. The practice will begin at 1:30 p.m. and is open to the media and the public.
The Conference USA Tournament is hosted by the Golden Eagles this year in Biloxi, Miss., at MGM Park. The top eight teams in the conference make the tournament, which will be held May 24-28.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
- Rice (5)
- Florida Atlantic (4)
- Southern Miss (3)
- Old Dominion
- Louisiana Tech
- Charlotte
- FIU
- Marshall
- UAB
- Middle Tennessee
- UTSA
- WKU
(first place votes in parentheses)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ford Proctor, Rice (Sophomore, IF)
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Glenn Otto, Rice (Junior, Right-hander)
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
P Kirk McCarty Jr. Southern Miss
P Ricardo Salinas Jr. Rice
P Casey Sutton Sr. Louisiana Tech
RP Glenn Otto Jr. Rice
C Brent Diaz Jr. Louisiana Tech
IF Taylor Braley Jr. Southern Miss
IF Dylan Burdeaux Sr. Southern Miss
IF Brett Netzer Jr. Charlotte
IF Ford Proctor So. Rice
IF Logan Sherer Sr. Charlotte
OF Jesse Baker Sr. UTSA
OF T.J. Nichting Sr. Charlotte
OF Charlie Warren Sr. Rice
DH/UT Sean Labsan Sr. Florida Atlantic
DH/UT Jonathan Washam Sr. Louisiana Tech
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 (@UAB_Athletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uab_athletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
