The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Alabama
Crimson Tide Rides Big Innings Past Blazers
4/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats (PDF)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The UAB baseball team hung tough with Alabama on Tuesday night but big sixth and seventh innings for the Crimson Tide powered them to victory. The Blazers lost 6-4 to fall to 16-17 this season. `Bama scored three runs in the sixth inning and two runs in the seventh inning en route to improving to 14-19.
Matthew Calvert performed admirably in his first career start. The sophomore threw a career-high 4.2 innings and coupled that with a career-high four strikeouts. He allowed three hits, one run, and two walks.
"I'm sure the adrenaline was rolling," said UAB head coach Brian Shoop. "A lot of Calvert's, lots of Love's (his fiancée's family) in the stands, he did fantastic. It was great for him. I'm proud of him and he kept us right in it for sure. After that, the walks bit us."
Alabama picked up an early run in the game. Cobie Vance doubled down the right field line in a 3-2 count and was driven home by Cody Henry two batters later to make it 1-0.
UAB did not get any hits the first time through the order but Tyler Tolbert and Price Visintainer were let on base in back-to-back at-bats in the third inning for free, the former a walk and the latter hit by pitch. The Blazers were unable to capitalize though and remained scoreless.
The Crimson Tide loaded the bases with a fielder's choice and two straight walks in the sixth inning. One run scored via a bases loaded walk and they scored two more on a double by Connor Short to make it 4-0.
Alabama added a pair of runs the next inning after loading the bases again. A sacrifice fly by Henry plated Sam Finnerty and then Chandler Taylor singled to score Vance from second base to make it 6-0.
The Blazers surged in the final frame. Singles by Carter Pharis and Pierce Ressmeyer led to an RBI double by Stephen Dobbs as Pharis scored. Ressmeyer then scored on a wild pitch that advanced Dobbs to third. Brett Blackwood's pinch-hit sacrifice fly brought Dobbs home to bring the score to 6-3.
Jared Nixon would add one more run on a single by Colton Schultz but that's the only other run UAB could muster, falling 6-4.
Ressmeyer was the only Blazer with multiple hits. The senior catcher finished the night 2-for-4 with the one run.
Calvert was tagged with the loss after the stellar performance, his first decision of the season.
Cory Eller made his first appearance of the year for the Blazers. It was the 68th of his career, moving into a tie with Kim Hargett for ninth all-time at UAB. It was the 67th time he came out of the bullpen which also ties Hargett but for fifth in school history. Eller induced a 1-6-3 double play as he registered two outs on the evening.
Garrett Suchey earned the win in relief after three innings of scoreless ball. His record stands at 2-4 this year. He relieved starter Zac Rogers who threw four innings and didn't allow a hit, walking two and hitting one batter. Suchey allowed three hits and each pitcher struck out four batters.
The Blazers will stay on the road for their next game was they travel to face Middle Tennessee State. The first game of a three-game Conference USA matchup will on Thursday, April 13 beginning at 6:00 p.m.
"We're hopeful," said Shoop on getting back injured players Brewer Hicklen and Antonio Ralat for the weekend. "We have a lot better chance offensively with them in there than we do with them not so we're hoping their back. We won't really know until Thursday."
