The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Valparaiso
Blazers Gut Out 3-2 Win over Valpo
2/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats (PDF)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB baseball team overcame a sloppy game to defeat Valparaiso 3-2 on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers, who committed five errors on the day, were in a close game all day but were able to come out with the win to improve to 5-1 on the year. The Crusaders fell to 1-4.
“It’s hard for me personally to feel good about a game we made five errors,” said UAB head coach Brian Shoop. “We take such pride in that and you can’t get away with that often. With that said, our pitchers hung in there very good.”
Tension rose in the ninth inning for the Blazers as the game came right down to the final pitch. Relief pitcher Carson Jones got the first batter to strike out swinging with a 3-1 lead but a double by and hit by pitch put runners at the corners with two outs. The UAB dugout decided to bring in Thomas Lowery from the bullpen and Valpo countered by pinch hitting Christian Barczi. Barczi swung at the first pitch and scored the runner from third. Lowery then faced off against James Stea with runners at first and second. An intense back-and-forth brought the count to 3-2. Lowery induced a big swing-and-miss on the final pitch to finish off the game.
This is UAB’s second win of the season in a one-run game after winning just four games a year ago in the same situation.
“Last year, we were 4-11 in one-run games,” said Shoop. “It’s really good to be in them and be in the moment and the pressure where one play changes everything, and then to win.”
UAB began the game with an eerily familiar incredible defensive play as to the day before. Brewer Hicklen gunned out Valpo’s leadoff hitter Stea at the plate on a single to the outfield. The saved run would once again prove important to the outcome of the game.
The Blazers got on the board with an RBI double from Thomas Johns to score Price Visintainer from first base to take an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. It was the second RBI of Johns career and a team leading sixth run for Visintainer.
The fourth inning heated up with a deep blast to dead center field by the Crusaders Nate Palace. The Blazers immediately responded with three hits and two runs in the bottom half of the frame. Antonio Ralat and McCown each led off with hits and were brought home on Stephen Dobbs single down the left field line. UAB led 3-1 at the end of four.
Starter Tanner Graham was relieved to start the fifth inning by Jones. Graham finished the day allowing one run, one walk, and three hits while striking out one. Jones would pitch lights out for the most part of the next four innings, allowing just two hits, but received help defensively in the seventh and eighth innings.
The Blazers turned two on a well-executed 5-4-3 double play in the seventh inning on a great play started by Visintainer and finished by Blake Johnson and Carter Pharis.
Palace stepped back to the plate with two outs and nobody on in the eighth. He aimed for deep center again and looked to have at least a hit off the wall until Hicklen made a fabulous effort to make a catch on the run at the wall, causing the centerfield door to pop open but still maintaining possession.
UAB finished with eight hits to Valparaiso’s seven. The Crusaders committed no errors to the Blazers five but Valpo left eight on base while UAB only left five on.
Dobbs finished the 1-for-3 and is now 2-for-7 with three RBI in the series. The junior catcher leads the team with seven RBI in five games.
McCown provided two hits at the plate in three at-bats including scoring what proved to be the game-winning run.
The Blazers will continue to try and emulate the 2014 and 2015 campaigns by sweeping the first two home series’ of the year on Sunday. That game is slated to start at 12:00 p.m. and is set to feature UAB’s Ryan Ruggles versus Valparaiso’s Grant Inman. Each pitcher is 1-0 this year.
“Second chance on Sunday that we’ve had on the year so hopefully we’re excited and ready to go,” stated Shoop. “We got a good pitcher on the mound and I’m sure he’ll give us a great chance.”
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).
