The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
#22 Southern Miss
Blazers Drop Opener at No. 22 Golden Eagles
5/12/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats (PDF)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The UAB baseball team fell in its opening game at No. 22 Southern Miss on Friday night. The Blazers lost 5-2 and see their record move to 23-27 overall and 8-17 this year while the Golden Eagles are now 38-12 and 20-5 in C-USA.
Southern Miss took an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Five of the first six batters reached base but UAB starter Thomas Lowery limited the damage with back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame.
"You're behind the eight-ball when you throw a 30-pitch first inning," said UAB head coach Brian Shoop. "Thomas didn't have his breaking ball in the first and most of those hits were on hanging breaking balls. Usually that's a great pitch (slider) for him. Big chances for us such as the leadoff double by Price Visintainer in the seventh, were down 3-1, got the tying-run at the plate, and we didn't score. That was a huge opportunity we didn't cash in on. Southern Miss a very, very good team and I think the best in our league."
Lowery was rock solid after that but did allow one other run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Golden Eagles had a chance for more in the fifth inning but Tanner Graham came on in relief and after loading the bases with a single and a walk, Graham induced a chopper back to the mound which resulted in a one-two-three double play to keep the score at 3-0.
The Blazers received a stroke of luck in the top of the sixth. Antonio Ralat swung at a 1-2 breaking pitch with runners in scoring position but the pitch hit the dirt and skipped to the backstop. This allowed Ralat to reach safely and Colton Schultz to score from third base to cut the deficit to 3-1.
The Golden Eagles tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning to lead 5-1. UAB would immediately cut back as Brewer Hicklen opened the eighth with a single and advanced to third on an error. He was driven in the next play on a sacrifice fly by Pierce Ressmeyer. The Green & Gold trailed 5-2 at this point but the next five Blazer bats went down in order.
Southern Miss outhit UAB 10-5 but the Blazers were flawless in the field while the Golden Eagles committed three errors.
Lowery finished the game with a line of 4.1 innings, six hits, three runs, four walks, and tying a career-best with six strikeouts. The His record falls to 6-3 this season and it's the first time this year the senior lefty has lost consecutive starts.
Sylvester Toe added another scoreless frame in relief. The freshman allowed just one baserunner when working in the eighth inning. He hasn't allowed a run in his last three outings totaling 5.2 innings.
Colt Smith started and earned the win for Southern Miss. He is now 5-0 this year after throwing six innings and conceding four hits, one unearned run, and striking out four.
Ressmeyer was the only Blazer with a pair of hits. He finished 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI. He now has five hits across the last two games.
Game two of the series will be tomorrow beginning at 2 p.m. The Blazers starter will be Carson Jones while Kirk McCarty will take the mound for Southern Miss.
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