The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Middle Tennessee State
UAB Victim to Middle Tennessee Bats in Finale
4/15/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats (PDF)
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The UAB baseball team led early versus Middle Tennessee on Saturday afternoon but the Blue Raiders surged in the final three innings of the game to win 13-3. The Blazers move to 16-20 this year and 5-10 in Conference USA. MT is 19-17 and 7-8 in conference.
“In fairness to our kids and our pitching staff, who can lose four weekend starters, nine guys off your staff and withstand it,” said head coach Brian Shoop. “I don’t know that any team could. 42 runs in three games sounds horrendous, but the injuries are tough to overcome.”
The Blazers scored first with a run in the second inning when a double steal turned into an error and allowed Antonio Ralat to advance home. They followed with two more runs in the third inning on a two RBI double by Pierce Ressmeyer and UAB led 3-0 early on.
Tanner Graham was stellar in his first start since March 14 against Auburn. The sophomore right-hander threw three innings and allowed just three hits and one walk while tallying two strikeouts in the no-decision.
“He missed six weeks and pitched great today,” said Shoop. “He was on a 50-pitch count so what are you going to do? You have to get him out.”
The Blue Raiders offense was stagnant until the bottom of the sixth frame. They took the lead with five runs on five hits and one error that inning. The high-scoring inning could have potentially been avoided but a throwing error to third base on a fielder’s choice play to get the lead runner advance to third went into the outfield and left two runners safe on the corners with one out. Five straight batters reach via hits or walks after that as MT led 5-3 at the end of the frame.
UAB had a chance the next inning by loading the bases with two outs but were unable to score any runs and remained down by a pair going into the seventh.
Middle Tennessee scored four more runs in the seventh and then stretched the lead to 10 runs with four runs in the eighth inning. The game was called then due to the series finale 10-run rule in C-USA.
The game finished with an 18-5 advantage for the Blue Raiders in hits. It was the fifth straight game MT scored 10-or-more runs. Each team committed one error in the game.
Ralat finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with the one run scored. It was his second multi-hit effort of the series after collecting a career-high three hits on Thursday.
Garrett Whitlock was credited with the loss and falls to 3-5 this year. He threw 2.1 innings and allowed six hits, five runs, four earned, two walks, and had two strikeouts.
Cody Puckett won his second contest of the season after allowing three hits, three runs, two earned, two walks, and adding four K’s. Devin Conn had his first career save throwing two innings in relief and allowing just three baserunners.
The Blazers return to the field for a midweek game at Troy on Tuesday night. The Trojans won the first game between the two 4-2 in Birmingham, Ala. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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).
