The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Georgia
UAB Falls in Low-Scoring Affair at Georgia 2-0
3/4/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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ATHENS, Ga. – The UAB baseball team fell in game two of its series versus Georgia on Saturday afternoon by the score of 2-0. The Blazers fell to 6-4 on the season while the Bulldogs are 4-6.
UAB was outhit eight to four and committed three errors to the Bulldogs two.
“You need more chances,” said UAB head coach Brian Shoop. “You have to put a guy under some duress. Give him some pressure pitches to get out of. We just didn’t do that today.”
Georgia captured the lead with a solo home run to start the bottom of the third inning. Center fielder Tucker Maxwell tucked a shot inside the right field foul pole to open the scoring at 1-0.
UAB catcher Pierce Ressmeyer followed with a double in the fourth for his second hit of the game. Ressmeyer hit the shot to left field just over the outstretched glove of Keegan McGovern with two outs. A strikeout in the next at-bat left the Blazers trailing by one.
The Bulldogs tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. A single up the middle by Tucker Bradley followed by a steal and error put the right fielder on third base. A deep fly out by Will Proctor scored the run to make it 2-0.
The Blazers put two runners on immediately in the top of the seventh. Georgia then went to its bullpen as starter Tony Locey departed after six plus innings. Andrew Gist came on and promptly struck out two batters. After Riley McCown and Colton Schultz each advanced on stolen bases, Gist induced a 5-3 groundout to get out of the inning.
UAB failed to reach base over the last two innings as Georgia evened the series up at one apiece.
UAB starter Ryan Ruggles was credited with the loss after allowing the one run in 4.2 innings. The lefty gave up five hits and walked three while striking out three batters.
Austin Thomas was strong in relief, throwing 3.1 innings and allowing one unearned run. Only five batters (three hits, two walks) reached based of the 15 he faced. The senior’s ERA still stands at zero after his fourth appearance of the year.
“Pitching was great again,” said Shoop. “You like to think if you hold a team to two runs you can win, but we didn’t. Pitchers were great though again, absolutely.”
Locey picked up the second win of his career. The freshman allowed four hits, one walk, and hit two batters while retiring six via strikeout. Gist earned the save after pitching the final three innings and allowing no base runners with three strikeouts.
Ressmeyer had a strong day at the plate. The senior backstop reached base in all three at-bats with two hits and one hit-by-pitch.
Tomorrow, the Blazers will face right-hander Chase Adkins while sending out left-hander Thomas Lowery to start for the first time this season.
“We got a chance to win the series on the road at Georgia with Lowery starting so we’ll see what happens,” added Shoop.
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).
